Hacking Game of Bytes
by EnderLance
Summary: With the NerveGear, young Nur Fate dives into the world of 'Sword Art Online', not expecting to play a game life and death in the otherwise fun game. But he's going to wield his abilities, both hacking and gaming, to turn everything around and make it out alive with the friends he meets. And hey, winning the hearts of a few girls may not be part of his plan, but it happens anyways!
1. Character Sheets

**Nur's Information**

Stories Included

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Identity

Name: Nur Fate [ Nier ]  
Position: Hacker

Inventory

Binary

Nur's primary weapon, it is a white sword with a black hilt and guard. Has all sorts of effects, depending on Nur's wish.

Bow

A simple composite bow entirely handmade. He also uses arrows of varying effects, such as to heal or damage.

Abilities

Hacking Directly tinkering with the system of the game allows him several bonuses.  
Immunity to damage.  
Access a powerful regeneration factor.  
Libra; Scan his targets or the environment.  
Manipulation.


	2. Chapter 1

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 1: It's Fun, Right?'`

 _Amongst the multitude of people that survived the death game that is «Sword Art Online», one particular individual stood out._

 _He was special, without question. His father and mother, the very people of which his blood comes from, would certainly agree. But in the game where swords truly kill, and lives are at stake, it is where he truly shines, just as the name bestowed upon him._

* * *

Nur Fate was a boy who lived. Easy as that.

Born into a simple family, his father was a producer in a music company, and his mother a housewife, raising him and him alone. He had no siblings, see.

Life was a simple one. After graduating from school early, due to possessing a high intellect in comparison to the other students—his primary school teacher was shocked as to how he was capable of calculus at the time—he had spent his years searching for something to pour his time into.

Music? It was fun. With his father being a producer in said industry had planted the love of music in him ever since he was young, but he didn't truly focus on that. Instead, he made it a hobby of his, playing all sorts of instruments that he could get his hands on.

His parents suggested that he would go out of his way to become a scholar, but he decided otherwise. While yes, he would be passing knowledge upon the future generation, he didn't find it quite exciting, taking it as a rather bland way to spend his years. As such, he decided against it.

Painting? It was fun, really, but it was only fun whenever there were people to see his work. He would take it to the museum, put it up for display, only for people to be asking him how much it would cost for them to hang it in their vaults. He rejected each and every offer, citing that it was to be enjoyed by the masses, and not be turned into a source of income. Again, a hobby.

So what truly won his heart in the end? What had he focused on honing, as he grabbed his hands on such a talent none could possibly fathom? Simple.

In this modern day, he was surrounded by technology. He had thought of becoming an engineer, until his father suddenly placed his phone on the boy's lap, with a puzzle game on it.

"Try solving that," he answered, that wrinkly smile always one that held wisdom.

And the boy did so, easily solving one. And then two. And then four, which went on to twenty, to a hundred, to a _thousand_.

He had been so engrossed in it, that a day or two had passed, sleepless times as his eyes remained on the screen, fingers moving in quick blurs.

Needless to say, his mother banned him from playing with that game ever since.

But that gave him just the answer he needed. The very apple of Eden that he had been trying to find his whole life. To become perfect in!

"Gaming!" He shouted when his mother took the phone away from him, yelping in surprise.

* * *

A Year Later

When Nur came to his father one day, showing him a picture of what seemed to be a gaming console, the whole picture came into his mind just as easily.

The day his son suddenly shouted 'gaming' right after his mother took away the phone from his hands… It was that he intended to find his placing in the world of games, and possibly earn himself the mantle as a 'gamer'.

Needless to say, he was happy.

While his son may have all sorts of paths presented before him due to his stellar achievements, the most important thing to choosing a career was that the person was happy, no matter what.

Nur was still a growing boy, one who knows many, yet knows little. What does that mean?

It meant that he was someone who excelled in academics. His mind could not be considered normal, since he's memorised every details that had been written down in the textbooks. Every equation, formula and answer to every question there was.

But his heart and soul still existed, as immature as a child. He didn't know anything more than the safe confines of their home, the sweet cookings of the mother, and the innocent broadcastings on the TV.

Indeed, he studied reproduction, but his mind only retained physical information on that. Real men, on the other hand, could give full detail on how it really works.

Nonetheless, he wanted his son to grow up in a comfortable environment. If he might grow to become a man one day, he wanted the boy to become someone who could hold his head high, and his position as a gamer with pride.

Returning to reality, staring at the picture on his own phone, his smile returned to him easily.

"Alright, then. Would you like one?" He asked, staring into his son's eyes. They were purely black, but as his name states it, there was a strong light behind them, indicating his determination and foreshadowing great destiny—to become a gamer? Eh, sure, why not?

"Yes," he bobbed his head up and down, his monochromatic hair growing past chin-length. "I saw this in one of the magazines, and they say it's really nice."

"Okay then. I'll go buy that tomorrow, and you'll be following me to the game store. Oh, but do tell your mother. You know how worried she gets if she doesn't know where you go," he sweat-dropped, remembering the last time that happened.

He couldn't remember the last time he could walk normally, after his wife had enacted a punishment upon him, which required him doing all the housework in her stead, which was far more tiring than said.

* * *

The Next Day

After buying the console at the game store, Nur and his console had practically been inseparable ever since. Whenever there was time for him, out of tinkering with interesting gadgets and watching what was on the telly, he would be busy mashing away at those buttons, eyes glued to the screen.

His father, knowing that he'd finish one game far too quickly, purchased every game for the console he could find, thankful that his job secured him with a bountiful income. With that, he managed to buy just about everything. In fact, if he wanted to, he could have bought a whole store dry.

But he wouldn't dare. There were other customers besides himself, after all.

And the man was able to keep a steady schedule on the boy. He would finish up to three games each day, and replay only one of them after finishing any three. After replaying them once, he would play them the week after, ensuring that he would never get bored.

While his wife was somewhat uncertain, she decided not to judge her son's decision, ultimately satisfied that he was happy, and that was all that mattered.

On one simple day, the man was busy sipping away from his coffee, his son's fingers tapping repetitively on the buttons on the left and right sides. After some time, however, he heard something that came as a massive surprise to him.

He lost.

"Oh man…" The boy pouted, staring at the screen, which blacked out, before it transitioned to his in-game player in some form of hospital. "This is hard…"

"What's wrong, son?" The father asked, trying to keep his surprise hidden. Thankfully enough, it worked.

"It's nothing. It's just… there's this boss that I have to defeat, but he's so strong," he explained simply, setting the console on the table with a sigh. "And I couldn't beat him…"

"Mmm… Then you're going to need to learn a few tactics," at that, the son perked up, looking at his father with unhidden curiosity. "See, you have to train your monsters so that they gain XP, and become stronger, right?"

"Mmhm. They can also evolve and learn new moves too," the boy nodded.

"Well, there's a specific tactic that a lot of players use to defeat their enemies," at that, the boy's eyes went wide with anticipation. "The term is called 'training'."

And with that, the boy would implement the tactic into his play style, able to finish his game before bedtime. In truth, it had taken him the whole day just to get used to this new tactic, but it was fairly easy to use. Strange, he thought. It only needed him to get into random encounters with enemies, but it gave him plenty chances to become better and win.

* * *

Three days afterwards, he came upon another obstacle.

The boy had picked up several tactics from the Internet to help him in his conquest over every game there was, but he still didn't know that his father had accidentally bought him a fan-made cartridge.

It was, to put it simply, an original game manipulated so to diverge from the original plot and style so to become an entirely new game. Even so, the roots of the game remain the same, since the fruit had been plucked from the same cartridge.

This specific cartridge, however, was no doubt a pure troll—a term he had also picked up from his father.

"This game is not real," his eyebrow twitched as he marched his character into battle for the fourteenth time, yet coming out defeated. "How..?"

"Hmm? What is it, honey?" His mother came to his side, messaging his shoulders softly. "Is there a problem with your game?"

"I'm not sure… I've done everything that I've seen on the Internet, yet I keep losing. Why is this..?" He pondered on the thought, only to come out empty-handed.

"Ahh… This must be a hacked game then," she sighed, missing the way his eyes darted to her. "Jeez… Your father just has to make mistakes like this, no less. He may be a genius, but he can't pick the right game?"

"What do you mean hacked?" He repeated.

"Well… I'm not entirely a genius, so can I just tell you what I know? You can search it up later," at her words, the son gave a nod. "Okay… It's basically where the people mess up something so to function another way."

"Huh? I see…" He nodded, pondering on her words. "Man… Hacking a game sounds difficult…"

"Not really. And, mind you, it is not necessarily limited to just gaming," and that got her son's attention once more. "Hacking is… a pretty bad thing, unless you use it to do good, that is. You can hack devices, games, and all sorts of things. Even cars! If you were professional enough…"

Seriously though. That game she's seen on the game store shelves had her wondering if such a world could possibly exist.

"Ooh… That sounds interesting," Nur hummed, ever as innocent as he is. "Is it hard?"

"Kid, don't even," their father came around from the kitchen, face red and sweat apparent on his skin. "I will tell you this. Hacking is dangerous, because it allows you to do all sorts of things. But that's not the point. It is extremely difficult because there's a lot of requirements."

"See? Your father knows," the mother chuckled in amusement.

"You'll need to know how that specific technology works, learn programming languages, and all other things that I won't bother you with," the man nodded his head. "Indeed… It will be quite difficult. And if you choose that path, well… I can only wish you luck."

Eyes widening, feet carrying him up into his room, he would be spending months so to learn, and become what is indeed his challenge; a hacker.

His parents merely smiled. Counting out the hacked cartridge from earlier, the boy had practically finished every game they had bought.

* * *

A Year Later

"Happy birthday, Nur!" His mother wished him as she kissed his cheek, a bright smile on her face that matched his own, albeit slightly smaller.

"Thank you, mum," he took the piece of cake from his father, digging his fork into it and beginning to eat, enjoying the ways the chocolate and banana flavours danced on his tongue.

"Sorry there isn't much people around here. I wanted to go call the neighbours, but they seemed to be busy," the father smiled sadly, ruffling his son's head.

"It's fine. As long as I have the both of you, I wouldn't mind anything," the boy shook his head, hair now past his shoulders, despite them having to have cut it just last week.

It was a strange genetic formulation in his system. For some inexplicable reason they didn't know, their son's hair would grow two inches every night. It was strange.

But that didn't mean he was a monster, no. It just meant he had super silky hair, and both knows how much his mother loves to play with his hair. Even to the point where she began styling his hair at times!

Seriously though, he actually looked good with a braid.

Anyways, today was his birthday! Which meant presents—not that the boy would ever ask for anything other than the console he had received a year ago. He was fine with his parents just being here.

Aww!

"Hey kiddo. I've got a little something for you," the man snickered, holding his large present behind his back. Certainly, it was heavier than he had given it credit.

"What is it father?" The son gulped the last chunk of cake, finishing his plate already. His mother took it from his hand, putting another slice onto it.

"Here it is," he pulled it from his back, revealing it to his son. A wide, rectangular 'box' wrapped with yellow paper and bright red strings holding it close. Gently, he placed it on his son's laps, the latter keeping his eyes glued to his gift. "Go on. Nothing's keeping you from opening it."

Nodding as he muttered his thanks, he ripped the paper apart, noticing the strange silver surface of his present. Tearing more and throwing it beside him, he was surprised at what his father got him.

A simple silver laptop, probably the latest design. Polished screen and neat keyboards embedded into its bottom face. Suffice to say, this must have costed quite a lot.

"Do you like it? At first, I thought of buying you a computer, but then I thought, maybe you'd like things you can carry around with you," the man tipped his glasses up his nose, smiling. "So?"

"It's nice…" He whispered, breath so soft that it could have been ignored. "Thanks."

"No problem. I mean, your previous computer already burnt out, didn't it?" At his pointing out, his son flinched, averting his gaze to the floor. "Haha, knew it."

"Your father and I aren't mad. It was old anyways, so we had to get you a new one soon," the mother reassured her son, giving him the plate. "Here you go."

"Well… Thank you," he spoke, returning to his cake once more.

The parents smiled.

* * *

This was officially his thirteenth year, his birthday being the ninth of April.

Nur had grown a bit taller, certainly different then. He retained his personality though, as soft as a maiden. Still, he was a boy in the flesh, and had any girl laid eyes on him, they wouldn't hold back from calling him cute—or handsome, depending on the person.

After the little celebration was over, and all the decorations had been put away or disposed of, Nur had immediately gone to his room to set up his brand new laptop, but keeping the old computer. There were good memories with the computer, after all.

With all that done, the boy immediately got down to reinstalling any programs he remembered present in the previous computer into the laptop.

Hacking was fun. Gaming was fun.

And then came the dangerous yet delightful thought.

'What if I can make hacking and gaming..?' He gulped, wondering what it would be like. Deciding to put that thought to the side, he launched his computer, slipping into the Internet.

Then something interesting caught his eye.

'VR'.

* * *

The Next Day

"It stands for 'Virtual Reality'. Basically, a computer-generated scenario where things feel realistic," the father shrugged, reading his newspapers. "They use a technology where it makes you feel like you're in the real world, but you're actually not."

"That sounds like magic," the boy noted.

"Nope. It's actually a real thing. There's a, well… It's not considered a console, but it does allow you to experience such a thing," he sipped a cup of coffee, enjoying the rich taste. "It's the «NerveGear». The device should be coming out next May, and I heard that—"

He paused, noticing the shine in his son's eyes. Just as his name entails. He smiled.

There was only a certain few times when he would see such a sight. Whenever Nur was with his family, or there was something he wanted.

Although, the teen was certainly a bit of a shy one, and would never ask for something. Yes, he asked for the gaming console the first time, but he never asked for anything more ever since.

"Alright, how about this? The first game," although he doubted it, it would make things much more simpler. "Will be coming out somewhere around next August. I'll get you a «NerveGear» on May, and you'll get to play it. What say you?"

"Is it possible? Just by how amazing it sounds," the father rolled his eyes in amusement, his son being innocent as ever. "Then I doubt it'll be easy to purchase it. Won't sales be quick?"

"Mmm, probably. But I have my… methods," he snickered, earning a curious look from his son.

* * *

A Year Later

"Ta-da!" His father proudly held what seemed to be a blue helmet in his hands, a bright grin on his face. "See? What'd I say? I promised you I'd get it for you!"

"Whoa…" The boy blinked multiple times, rubbing his eyes a moment later to see whether his sight was failing him. Turns out it wasn't. There, in his father's hands, was the «NerveGear».

"Well then, better be ready for August. The game should be ready on that day," he smiled, hand on his son's head that slowly moved back and forth. "Nur. When you're going to play this game, I want you to promise me something."

"What is it?" He asked, prying his father's hand off his head. While he would've enjoyed the ruffling at any times, he'd rather be able to look into his father's eyes when they talked.

"I know just how accomplished of a hacker and a gamer you are now, since you've finished more games then I could count," which was technically a lie. Approximately a thousand and fifty games. Maybe more, maybe less, but definitely a thousand. "But I'd like to see how far you've come. Think you're up for the challenge?"

And his son, determination stemming into his heart, further bolstered by his father's words, put on a brave front. He stood tall, close to a hundred and seventy-four centimetres, but exactly seventy-two.

"Hai!" He shouted.

* * *

October 2022

A month before the official server of «Sword Art Online» would start, and no doubt, the ten thousand players lucky to log into the game would certainly be overjoyed.

And amongst the ten thousand people, Nur Fate was one of them.

The 'Closed Beta' was a period where the lucky one thousand beta testers would get a taste of what was to come. Needless to say, reviews were positive.

Nur himself felt the game to be magical, almost out of the world. It was fresh, well-made and he wondered as to how such a person could create this game.

And doing his research on both «NerveGear» and «Sword Art Online», he learnt a few interesting things.

For one, the device was created by a man called Kayaba Akihiko, certainly a man that deserved respect. But the interesting part about it was that he was also the development director of the game. So he was two things? That's pretty neat.

Nur blew a raspberry at the thought of being kicked out of the official game server. He really wanted to play it.

In actuality, during his time in the 'Closed Beta', he had practiced his hacking skills, tinkering with the device of which he used to play the game. From there, it basically gave him just about anything that he wanted.

Luckily, no one had seen him in action, lest they would have seen his HP regenerate at insanely fast speeds, and gain strength to kill a boss monster.

Still, that didn't necessarily mean that he was safe from the system. The «Cardinal System», developed by Kayaba Akihiko to manage the resources, processes and events within «Sword Art Online», was like a powerful firewall at times.

So when he hacked the system, of course it would try to spit him out. Fortunately enough, his hacking prowess also allowed him to remain anonymous under their radar, which meant he was safe.

Nur loved playing games, because they proved a sense of challenge. Hacking did make it easy, yes, so he ensured that he would only use it when the situation called for it.

Although, he doubted he would actually hack the game in the first place. It's not like it meant his life would be in danger, after all.

Oh, if only he knew.

* * *

Asuna Yuuki, a girl to a wealthy family, and she who fell in love with a game.

When the device came out, she wasn't particularly lucky. She didn't get the chance to become part of the beta testers, but she would get to play the official game this November. While her mother typically saw it as unnecessary, but she really wanted to play it, since everyone called it such an amazing game.

Asuna had wondered what sort of name for her avatar that she would possibly use in the game. Spending moments pouring every possible name, she decided that she'll just use her real name.

It's a game, and no one could judge her, right?

She wondered as to what the game could possibly be like, but judging by the positive reactions from the people, she was more than excited to just dive in and start playing.

And hey? Who knows? Maybe she'll make a good friend or two in the process? That was certainly something to look forwards to.

And… maybe someone to fall in love with?

"Wait, what am I thinking?" She suddenly stopped herself short, slapping her cheeks for thinking such a thing. Going into a game just to get a boyfriend? That was beyond crazy!

Then again… It wasn't a bad thought, was it? And if she wouldn't be able to get a boyfriend, at the very least, she would be able to hold her head high, proudly declaring that she had made friends, all of whom she would promise to remember no matter what.

Alright then! It was time to do this! This November, she would forge herself a path as a true gamer!

* * *

Tsuboi Ryoutaroi thought himself to be one lucky man.

Just this morning, he had been in queue to get a hard copy of the game from one of the nearby stores. And damn, if he had been a minute later, it would have sold out!

Get a cup of coffee, read the news, and watch the television for a little bit. And then he'd go to his mailbox, check what he needed, and then go back into the house.

This was usual routine whenever things were relatively normal.

Today, however, this routine had been thrown out of the room.

He rushed out of his room, chugging down the hot cup of coffee down his throat, ignoring the painful burning sensation. Screw the television, forget the mail, he rushed down the street to the nearby game store.

"HWHAAA?!" His gaze landing upon a queue of God-knows-how-many people, all dying to get their hands on «Sword Art Online».

And his luck stat came through in the end, allowing him to purchase the game.

"Yeah-hah!" He screamed, overjoyed as he dashed down the road, making his way home, ignoring the way children and old men were looking at him funnily.

Thankfully, he wasn't reported of being a madman. He definitely didn't need to play «Sword Art Online» in a mental institution.

* * *

Andrew Gilbert Mills. African-American by blood, Japanese in the heart.

Married to a single wife, he and Kathy lived a good life, happy to be in each other's companies. At the age of twenty-five, he opened a coffee shop-bar, in the modern streets of Okachimachi.

She was one of his usual customers. And soon enough, one thing lead to another, and they had a ring on their fingers.

Two years later, their café business going as well as they had hoped, and Andrew managed to get his hands on «Sword Art Online», a 'VRMMORPG' game that piqued his curiosity.

While, at first, he considered playing the game, the fact that he also had a business to uphold, as well as a marriage, had him wondering if this would certainly break things.

But his wife clearly knows him. To her, he was an open book.

"Oh, don't you worry so much. It's not like it's a year-long programme, you know," she chuckled at his worried look. "Plus, we're a team. If you're going to be playing this game for, say… Three hours, then I'll make sure the shop is fine in the mean time."

"Are you sure? I kinda' feel like I'll be taking advantage of you…" He muttered, serious about this. Sure, he wanted to play this game, but the business though.

"Oh, hush! You know, you worry a bit too much at times, Andrew. Just play the game. As I said, it's not like you're going to be away for years," she rolled her eyes in amusement, planting her face in his neck. "Just… make sure you have fun, alright? That's what a game is for, after all."

"Kathy…" He whispered her name, before he pulled her into his arms, twisting her a few times, laughing loudly as she suddenly cried in fear. "You are the greatest!"

"O-Okay! Please, let me down!" She pleaded, dizzily sauntering here and there as she took a moment to recollect herself. "O-Oh my… You sure have strong arms…"

"Haha. Well, I did take gym classes," he snickered.

If his wife supported his decision to play this game, then he was going to make sure that he was going to enjoy it. And who knows? Pick up a cooking skill or two in the process to impress Kathy.

* * *

Ayano Keiko wondered what sort of adventures she would find herself in.

«Sword Art Online» certainly seemed interesting, and the positive reviews only had her excited into diving into the game.

But she wondered… Just what would she possibly do?

Obviously, play, fight and everything else, but she wanted to give herself a specific class. just for the fun of it.

Now, through her experience playing other little games, she noticed that she liked playing as an assassin. And since this game would need her to actually play, as if she were part of it, then she probably won't do well as one.

But still, knowing that she would function well with a dagger, then she'd use just that. Daggers. Easy as that.

Now, the other things that she had to worry about, was whether or not she would resort to just a dagger-wielding class, or maybe more.

"Hmm… What do I like?" She pondered on that, a finger on her lip as she laid on her bed.

She certainly liked sweet stuff, but that was out of the question. She had little to no experience in the kitchen, so there was no way she was going to do cooking.

Then there was clothes. But was she good at knitting? She wouldn't dare so. The many times she's pricked her finger definitely said something.

So… what else could make her unique?

A player is defined by a person who had their own unique play styles, something of which each person develops as time goes on. People would come to learn of them, famous for their own styles.

And as such, Ayano thought on the question.

Obviously, she could just play as a regular dagger-wielding class, but she wanted a little extra something. Something that, while somewhat childish, may get her up in the names of legendary players…

Then her gaze fell upon a cover of a book with a dragon on her head.

"That's it!" She smiled brightly, and she would soon come to carve her name in the pedestal of players as a famous dragon tamer.

* * *

Rika Shinozaki was easily as nervous as a person who was given a dagger.

Or, in her case, a mallet.

She was not necessarily that good at making things, but she considered herself better than her classmates at the very least.

She had gotten good marks when it came to building wooden projects, close to hitting perfect. Still, she would never dare to brag at people, lest she earns the cold shoulder.

Anyways, knowing now that she held a simple mallet in her hand gave her the thought that she could be a blacksmith in «Sword Art Online». It wouldn't be all that hard, since it was just tapping things and then watch the magic work from there.

She wouldn't need to do all the hard work. The only hard work that there would be, is that she would need to get the materials somehow.

"Man… This is seriously going to be hard…" She sighed as she laid her head on her desk, eyeing the newly bought game that rested on her bed. "Maybe… Maybe it would work out, right?"

There was the fear that no one would take her seriously, since she was just a girl. But she'll prove them all wrong.

She was going to make it to the big names, and the title of 'Master Blacksmith' will be hers for the taking.

* * *

Kayaba Akihiko, a famed inventor who was well-known by the masses.

Being the one who created the «NerveGear» had him standing in the spotlight. Now, being the development director of the famous game «Sword Art Online» was more than enough to get everyone running at him for his autograph.

The attention was definitely suffocating, but he supposed it was fine. Although…

"Father…" He turned around, staring into the eyes of a black-haired girl, her body frail and her smile weak, as she laid on the bed. "Is the game starting soon..?"

"Indeed, and it is this November. And by then, I can expect ten thousand players to be there," he nodded, wanting to just pry his eyes away, until she suddenly took his hand, forcing him to look at her. "Please. You should be resting."

"Father… We both know that I'm about to go…" A simple tear flowed down from her eyes, her grip beginning to grow weaker. "You… know what you must do…"

He dreaded the sixth of November. It was her birthday, and the day he…

No, he shook his head to prevent any more thoughts coming into mind. He definitely didn't need to think about it. He wished he never came up with this plan, but to prolong his daughter's life, he would do anything.

"Father…" He looked at her once more, noticing the light beginning to leave her eyes. "I… love you…"

And that was all there is, before her grip fell, yet the innocent smile remained there on her features, never diminishing. And Kayaba stood here, beside his still-dying daughter, cursing at himself.

He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it seemed that he was wrong.

Kayaba Akihiko would take up the mantle as the game master behind what was soon to come. And he could only hope his daughter, Yui Akihiko, would be spared of the death for which was was to come.

* * *

Nur Fate was never one who would give up, no matter the circumstances.

Possessing the stubbornness from his mother, and honing the intellect passed down to him by his father, Nur could be considered not normal, but he never really cared.

In fact, it was this sole reason that acted as his motivation to keep on fighting, no matter the underestimations or snipes aimed at him. He would push through, no matter how unfavourable the situation was.

With such traits in him, it helped him in his journey to become the very best hacker and gamer there is.

Truth be told, it was extremely strenuous. To any simple child who could count no more than a hundred, computer language was the equivalent to algebra for them, which is painful enough for even a high schooler.

But Nur never gave up. Wielding books and doing researching, he soon came to understand the basic building blocks of the systems, soon able to form together complex structures all on his own.

Gaming was simple. He could never deny that, despite the varying genres the game would target. Tactical, FPS, side-scroller, fighting, etc. He had it in the bag.

And on the sixth of November, he would prove to his parents that he would make it out on top. He would claim the crown of winners, donning the mantle as the greatest gamer and hacker to have ever lived.

Smiling, he went to sleep, unaware of the horrible truth that would come to wake soon.

* * *

November 6th—Nur's Home

He didn't know why, but he decided that it was a 'just in case'.

It was strange. While he had been excited to play the game a month ago, there was a sudden feeling as if something bad was going to happen. Nothing actually will be, right?

Even so, it didn't stop him from hacking into his «NerveGear», thus allowing him a couple of boosts later on in the game. Surely would come in handy, but he'd have to make sure no one saw him, in case he'd get reported and kicked out of the game.

Nodding when everything was done, Nur went to his parents to tell them of the news.

"So, you're about to make your dive, kiddo?" His father greeted him with a cheeky grin.

"I'm hardly a child anymore, you know," he huffed, before his expressions softened. "Still… I am your son, so that counts as something."

"Oh, of course you are! Don't worry too much about that," the woman giggled, her smile reaching her eyes. "Make sure that you have fun, alright? And if you're hungry, just make sure to log out."

"Yeah. I promise," he nodded, making his way to his bedroom once more.

Still, that bad feeling in his gut only grew stronger, and he was unsure of what to do. And yet, that didn't mean he was going to run away now. He had been dying to play this game since forever, and he was going to enjoy himself, damn it!

Entering his white-painted room, he was greeted with the sight of a sturdy bed with a comfortable mattress and soft pillow, a table with a computer at the side of the bed's head, windows completed with curtains, and a drawer that held all of his clothes.

It was go time. No need to dilly-dally any longer.

Stepping onto the bed, he straightened his back, making sure that he was comfortable. Taking the «NerveGear» from the table, he fit it to his head, brushing aside the hair.

Just as he was about to dive in, he noticed his right hand shaking. Sighing, he took it with his left, inserting it into his mouth…

And biting down. Hard.

"Khh…" He hissed through his teeth, letting go of his hand. The bite mark was definitely there, but at least blood wouldn't form. He always used this method to shake away all the anxiety whenever he felt nervous.

Strangely enough, he would never bleed, nor would bruises form whenever he did that. He could use that to his advantage, he supposed.

'Okay… Let's do this!' Humming, he rested down once more, taking in air through his nostrils. His time to dive in was here. Time to go! "Link! Start!"

* * *

Floor 1: Beginning Town

"Whoa…" The lad blinked away the blinding lights, bringing his arm down. Scrubbing at his eyes for a little moment, he was left speechless.

Just as he remembered from the beta test. He stood in the centre of a stone town, beautiful and vibrant colours everywhere around him. Green plants taller than even he was, and plentiful other players just behind him, beginning to spawn into the game.

He was here. «Sword Art Online».

"Wow…" He blinked, not expecting himself to actually be playing the game.

Taking a good look around himself, he was unsure of what to say. The place looked way too real, so much so that he almost thought himself to be in reality.

This was the magic of the «NerveGear». It stimulated each of the five senses, and created a world where everything felt real. Of course, there would be the addition of monsters, but other than that…

Looking down at his right hand, he held back the urge to just bite it, so he resorted to just pinching it.

It hurt. Yup, the system really made this feel real.

* * *

The streets, especially the market, was brimming with people. Everywhere he looked, there was either a player bargaining with the shopkeeper, conversing with their friends, or forming parties with each other.

So far, so good.

'Dang… Why do I still have that bad feeling?' He gulped, walking against the flow of the people. While he would have loved to just go to a tower and look down on the people, just to see how many he could count, he decided that for now, he'd go to the fields to get a bit of training done.

Passing some polished stone, he looked at himself, which was like staring into a mirror. He was looking exactly at himself, as if his physical body had been whisked into this game—he decided that he'd just keep his looks just for the fun of it. And then, he resumed his walk.

Walking a bit more, he noticed himself growing heavy. Of course, he couldn't just put the blame on the game. It stimulated everything almost perfectly, so it left him wondering if something was dragging him down.

Sparing a glance past his shoulder, tugging his black-white hair behind his ear, his black orbs stared into brown ones.

And what certainly had him surprised, was the fact that the person he was looking at, was a girl.

"Uhh… Can I help you?" He blinked, looking around in case there were anyone here to help him out. Too bad, he was on his own on this one.

"S-Sorry… I'm just a bit lost…" She chuckled nervously. Eyeing her, he managed to get her at a height approximately a hundred and sixty.

"Mmm. Well, don't you have any friends here?" He asked her, beginning to walk once more. Her grip on his sleeve remained firm.

"I'm not entirely sure. A friend of mine did invite me, but I couldn't find him anywhere," the girl looked around her, but found no one. "Forgive me, but… Would you mind if I followed you for a bit?"

"Well, sure, I guess. Although, I'm going to the fields to do a bit of training. Just to get used to the fighting system again," he told her, whistling a moment later. "Also, the name's Nier. What's yours?"

"Ahh… Yuna. A pleasure to meet you," she smiled back.

* * *

Floor 1: Starting Town—West Field

Travelling west from the «Starting Town», the two soon found themselves in the open fields, where wild boars were aimlessly wandering around.

Yuna was definitely an amateur, unable to land a hit unless Nier went out of his way to fully hold them down. Even so, she would need to focus on damaging them, for sure. She couldn't even dent their HP beyond a quarter.

Nier, however…

*Shing! Shing!*

"Hrahg!" He finished it off with a powerful slice to the side, watching as the 'Frenzy Boar' inflated, before quickly disintegrating into shards of glass and colour. "Another one on my right."

The mammal rushed at him, but Nier easily pivoted over it, cleaving it in half from the top, making a perfect land, accompanied with the boar shattering as well.

"Wow..! You're good!" Yuna clapped her hands together, in awe.

"Well, I am a beta tester," he chuckled in embarrassment, still not all that well with compliments. Much less so from a stranger, now his friend.

"Oh? So when the 'Closed Beta' came around, you were one of the hundred few who were given the chance to play a demo of it?" She gasped in surprise, which was understandable. No wonder he was so good.

"Mmhm, and I've been dying to play the full release ever since. The thing I like about this game, is, well… A lot of it," he kicked back, sitting down now. "The graphics are so beautiful, so I liked to do a sketching of whatever I see. Of course, I had to remember the details when I wake up. The food tastes so realistic too! And most importantly, is fighting."

"Really? Well, I can definitely see that last part about you. But drawing? You don't strike me as a drawer," she hummed, sitting beside him.

"Well, it's fun. It's one of the ways that keeps my mind off of things. Or, away from my console, at the very least," the shrug the boy gave was simple. "Oh yeah. Can I ask you something?"

"You technically have," she giggled in amusement, earning a sweat-drop from her friend. "But it's alright. What would you like to know?"

"Are you sure you want to do the fighting?" He asked straight out, knowing that this was a really important question. She blinked at his words, no response at first.

"What do you mean?" Yuna kept her eyes on him momentarily, pausing just to look at the birds that soared past their heads.

"I mean, you're not really a good fighter. No offence, but wouldn't it be better if you try something else?" He suggested. Watching her earlier certainly had him wondering if she could probably hold herself in a fight, and all hopes on such continuously diminished as time passed.

"And how could I possibly help if I can't fight alongside anyone?" She pouted.

"Simple," and her breath was suddenly hitched in her throat when he suddenly pulled out a hat from his inventory, after clicking on some buttons and the like, placing it on her head. "You look more like a player."

"What gives you that idea..?" She asked, the action taking her by surprise. The hat was comfy, for sure.

"I just have that feeling. You could play something, right?" His smile came easy, raising his hands and looking as if he was holding a guitar in his hands. "A guitar? A harp? A banjo, maybe?"

"Well… I have taken piano and classical guitar lessons, that is true," she admitted. "I like singing too, although… I do have stage fright. I could never sing in front of a crowd!"

"You say that. And then, all of a sudden, I see you standing on top of a stage, singing like there's no tomorrow. _That's_ when I'm calling lies on you," he snickered, accepting the drumming on his shoulder from the flustered girl.

"I'm not going to sing!" Yuna denied that thought, even though she did like the sound of it.

"Alright, alright, if you say so," Nier rolled his eyes. "In any case, there should be a skill that allows you to use your voice as a weapon, so to speak."

"Huh? You mean kill others just by listening to you sing?" She gasped, visibly surprised. He shook his head, a tilt of her own prompting him to respond.

"What I mean, is that you could sing some stuff, play a bit if you wish, and your party members would gain a boost when they listen," the monochromatic teen explained, looking satisfied as she hummed in understanding. "Well then, want to keep going?"

"Ooh, yes, please!" The brunette nodded, excited, running after the boy, who himself broke into a run.

* * *

There were times when Yuna had been knocked senselessly by the 'Frenzy Boar', something that the lad found pretty hilarious. Nonetheless, Nier had put his hacking skills to good use, constantly supplied with vulneraries.

Hacking his «NerveGear» allowed him all sorts of possibilities, which was actually endless.

Why so? It was because the «NerveGear» now responded to his mental commands. As such, if he ever thought of levelling up by sixty levels up, he would be Lvl. 60 by now.

So this meant he could do anything! He could just change the properties of the game world as he so wishes to!

Well… not really. See, his «NerveGear» merely acts so to alter just him, or to give things to him, or to affect him.

To summarise the hacking effects on his «NerveGear», he is capable of a few things. One, he can give himself buffs, and rid status ailments. Two, if he so desired a sword, it would materialise itself in his inventory. Three, if he so wished, he could affect his levelling system so to either increase or decrease his level.

That must have been it, right? Not really.

Besides the aforementioned three, he also can activate three special skills; damage-immunity, a powerful regeneration factor that acts as 1000 hit points per 10 seconds, and to scan his targets or environment.

Pretty overpowered, he told himself, but would add the advantage in battle.

So, with his hacking abilities, he could give himself unlimited number of potions so to heal himself and others.

And really, who would have thought that she didn't notice that at all?

'Well, I'm not complaining,' he smiled, watching as Yuna tripped against a stone, avoiding the 'Frenzy Boar's' charge by pure luck. _Again_. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he hollered at her. "Yuna, you doing okay over there?"

"I-I'm not sure!" She shouted back, running away from the beast as it charged at her.

"Okay, I'm coming," he rolled his eyes, rushing towards the beast. Producing his sword, he leapt into the air, bringing it down in a guillotining effect.

*Shing!*

And in one clean cut, that was all that was needed for the thing to finally die.

"Whoo! That worked pretty well," Nier laughed, putting away his sword as he patted his knees to get rid of any dust. "I'm impressed. You managed to get it to half its health this time."

"H-Hey! I'm trying, you know!" She pouted, looking adorable.

"Yeah, I can see that. And I won't lie, most people would just give up long before they reach their desired results, so congratulations to you," he smiled, offering her his hand.

The girl stared at his hand for a little while, before a sigh left her lips as she took his hand, standing up with him.

They were about to make their way back to the town, until—

"Hrwhhaa!" The two of them turned around, able to see a man with maroon-red hair running towards them, a 'Frenzy Boar' right on his tail. "Help meee!"

"Seriously..?" He sighed, smiling right after as he pulled out his sword once more, waiting for the boar to get closer to him.

When the man passed him, the 'Frenzy Boar' was now a few feet away from the lad, who aimed his sword straight at the blue tusked pig, breathing steadily.

And in one swift movement, he thrusted forwards!

*Shing!*

The sound of blade cutting wind and flesh resounded throughout the fields, followed up with the sound of shattering glass. Looking behind him, the boar had been effectively killed, and with one hit no less.

"Whoa… Thanks, man," the man panted, smiling as he looked at the younger boy.

"It's no problem," Nier waved him off. "The name's Nier. My partner over there is Yuna."

"Klein here," the maroon-haired man greeted himself, before he assumed an excited look. "And man! You were awesome back there!"

"Oh, please. It isn't all that impressive, believe me," the monochromatic-haired boy shrugged his shoulders, a hand on his hip. "Those are really weak, trust me. Imagine slimes from the eight-bit games. What I helped kill was exactly on the level of that."

"Huh?! I thought that was a mini-boss or something!" Klein's jaws unhinged from each other, a large hole.

"Really? But a mini-boss would be more harder, though," Yuna giggled from behind them, joining her friend's side.

"Hey! I didn't know, alright? This is my first time playing the game, ya' know. I'm not a beta tester," he huffed, crossing his arms.

"Sure, sure. We won't comment any much farther," the lad chuckled. "But hey. Since you're here, and you say that you're still new to all this stuff, how about we go for a little introduction programme?"

"Huh? You a beta tester?" He asked.

"Mmhm. I got a chance to test out the game during its 'Closed Beta'," he nodded. "So what will it be, Klein?"

"Count me in!" His response displayed every excitement there was.

* * *

Hours Later

To put it simply, Nier's supposed 'introduction programme' was easy enough.

The lad helped him through the basics of fighting, to the point where it was second-nature by now. «Sword Skills» were as easy as snapping your fingers, and other than that, all he needed to get used to was parrying—Klein still couldn't get the timing right.

Even then, he liked to think himself pretty good, but he would never compare himself to Yuna. Now that wouldn't be fair.

After all that, the group of three, who have befriended each other in a span of minutes, returned to the «Starting Town», with Klein stating that he was going to log out. Apparently, he had ordered pizza.

"Huh? Hawaiian with ginger ale? That's… certainly a strange combination, if I've ever heard one," Yuna chuckled, scratching the side of her cheek.

"Surprisingly enough, it's actually not all that bad! They go quite well together," Klein nodded without a trace of shame. Not that there was anything to be ashamed of in the first place, after all.

"It's actually not all that strange than how we eat, Yuna. Think of men who would eat pizza with coke. This is Klein's version," Nier explained, arms crossed as they walk.

"Aha! See? Nier knows his stuff!" The man laughed as he hung his arm around his male friend's shoulder, the latter rolling his eyes.

"Har har. Come on, let's just go," he smiled.

And after some time, they reached the starting point of where they had initially spawned at earlier, noticing how late it was already. The sun was barely seeable at this point, since it was so close to just dipping past the horizon at this point.

Nier noticed the lack of people now. Probably have logged out, or just left.

"Welp, I should get going. Pizza'll be here soon," the man spoke up, gaining the attention of his younger friends. "Oh, and thanks for the help, Nier. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you."

"Bruh, don't need to take this so seriously. It's a game," he chuckled, patting the older man's shoulder. "You just go enjoy the pizza and ale. And then, you can come back when you're feeling up to it."

"Uh, I'll always be up for some «Sword Art Online» action!" The maroon-haired man's smile popped up, big and bright. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave now!"

"Alright. We'll see you next time," the lad smiled, ready to walk away, Yuna still by his side.

This was certainly an adventure he wouldn't forget. To think that he was here now, playing this game, filled him with so much excitement! Everything felt so real, and it was really fun too, just as he remembered from the beta!

The ability to freely move around and fight with your own body made every other 'MMO' games pale in comparison. This was the real deal. 'VR' was the real ticket to true entertainment.

Man, he'd need to thank his parents for this. Were it not for them, he would have never have been able to discover the true fun that is gaming.

And hacking was part of it too. No doubt, he was living the life.

'Now… what will I do?' There were so many options before him, that Nier couldn't help but want to do all of them.

Go swim in a river! Find a beach to play around at! Fight a boss! Watch a blacksmith make a weapon! Fishing—that last one was something that really sounded fun, since the fishing games he's played in his father's phone were fun already.

And before he could complete his second step forwards, Klein's voice resounded once more.

"Eh? What's this?" He blinked as he looked at the menu.

"Hmm?" Turning around, the man was still there.

"You haven't left yet, Klein?" The brunette asked, curious as to why he was still here. Doesn't he want his pizza?

"What? No! It's just… the logout button's not here," he informed the two, both of whom widened their eyes in surprise.

"Wait, no… That's crazy," not believing his friend's words, he brought up the menu, tapping on a few buttons. He reached the player's profile, moving his finger to where the logout button was situated at…

Only to see nothing there.

"Wait, what?" He blinked in disbelief, tapping on the blank button a couple of times. And yet, nothing happened. "Huh? It's not working."

"See? I wasn't kidding," the man closed his menu, putting his left hand on his hip. "Do you think the management's forgot to put this on?"

"No… Can't be. I mean, the people making this game must have been really focused on all aspects of this game as they made it. There's no way they could just forgot it," he emphasised on the word 'forgot' by making quotation signs with his hands.

"So… Do you think they purposely left it blank?" Yuna brought up, sounding distressed.

"We don't know. All that we can do for now, is just wait, I guess," Nier shrugged, tugging a loose strand behind his ear.

"Seriously? Not like the answer is going to drop from the sky all of a sudden," Klein just had to say it.

And the moment he said it, everything changed.

 ***Nier Automata—End of The Unknown (Play Song)***

*Ding! Dong!*

Just as the bell atop the tower resounded across the whole world, in what seemed to have been just at the speed of an eye blink, every player had been summoned at the spawning point, with Nier, Klein and Yuna amongst them.

"Whoa, what the hell?" The man looked around him, the light from their spawning here a tad bit painful. Even so, it lasted for a little bit, revealing everyone. "Why is everyone here?"

"Your answer? In the sky," the monochromatic-haired boy answered, pointing up.

The man followed the direction of his finger, staring up at what seemed to be a red panel in the sky with the word 'WARNING' embedded into it.

And soon enough, panels produced everywhere, branching out from the root, turning into a dome that covered the whole spawning point, the sky red and dark.

"Dear Lord… What's going on?" Yuna asked, somewhat afraid as she held onto her friend's arm, a bit shaky.

"We're about to find out," the lad answered, allowing the girl to keep holding him.

And soon enough, an unfathomable thing occurred.

 _Blood_ , real _blood_ seeped out from beneath the panels, connecting to form a shape. And it took a minute or two, only to take shape of a gigantic hooded figure, his face overshadowed by the cloak.

And everything changed.

 ***Nier Automata—End of The Unknown (End Song)***

* * *

 **A/N: So what is going on? What's going on with 'Birth From Bytes'? Is it getting discontinued? What can I expect from this story? I'll answer all those questions now.**

 **One, yes. 'Birth From Bytes' is being discontinued, and will be remade. That remake, is this very story you have just read, or you had just skipped in case you literally scrolled to the very bottom of this page, so yeah.**

 **\- Reason being that I was at a level of amateur-ness back then. Back when I still struggled to get a single idea into my hand and just develop it further. But now, after so much time spent writing other stories, it has opened my eyes, and spurred me to write this new piece, instead of continuing 'Birth From Bytes'. I'm proud of that story, but it's best to close the curtains on that one now.**

 **Two, you can expect a heck of an AU, even though it's not necessarily an AU. There will be changes to deviate this story from the original plot, making it somewhat different.**

 **\- Although, this story does retain several elements or plots from the previous story, such as Yui being Kayaba's daughter, something that I made intentional and I find rather light-heartening. This will certainly change things, so be patient for the future chapters. I am _not_ going to just copy the old chapters and paste. Now that's just cheap work.**

 **Three, why am I working on this story when I've got other stories to be writing as well? It just keeps my motivation up, to be honest. Focusing on just one story makes me bored quick, so shifting my attention from one story to the other keeps the flow of ideas constant.**

 **And finally, I hope that all of you would join my journey in this story, and reach the end of 'SAO', and possibly beyond! So, leave a comment, and be ready for more in the future! See ya'!**


	3. Chapter 2

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 2: Time To Up Our Game!'`

 _Nier, Yuna, and Klein. Three individuals of whom have overcome the deadly fate of the death game they had been thrust into, and only Lord knows of the trials they have faced together._

 _But they fought together, laughed together, cried and screamed together. And it was because of the fact they faced death as one, were they able to come out as champions._

* * *

" _WHAT?!_ "

In most instances, you would find yourself rather annoyed when someone suddenly shouted beside you, possibly nicking at your eardrum's HP.

Well, not really, but you get the gist.

But when you put yourself into the shoes of the «Sword Art Online» players, then you yourself would find yourself shouting as well.

Eyes wide, mouths agape, body language shaky and afraid, heart stopped, brain functions ceasing. This was what everyone back then had experienced.

«Sword Art Online». A game that had made it to number one in the top video game sales, with merely ten thousand copies. Absolutely plenty, yet the copies had been taken off store shelves faster than a typhoon. It was, quite literally, mind-blowing.

This was the very first of its kind. A 'VRMMORPG', abbreviation for 'Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game'. Super long, so it made sense why they had to shorten it.

Heck, even the producers of the game couldn't fully say it unless they looked at the papers!

«Sword Art Online» required the «NerveGear», a device crafted by the famous Kayaba Akihiko, which generates a realistic world for the cognitive mind to thrive in. And suffice to say, it was everything the players had hoped for, and even more.

Everything felt so surreal, so magnificent. The sky was a landscape, pasted to the high above to act as the very real thing. The very game was that of a fairytale's, producing such magical sights that would have been thought impossible in just the real world. Rivers looked like strings of gleaming diamonds, the sun was a true star that deserved recognition, and everything else was just perfect.

The town was impressive as well. Not entirely amazing as the wild environments, but absolutely something to behold.

Nur Fate, diving into the game under the alias 'Nier', was always excited to play the game. His father and mother definitely knew. The look in his eyes was clear.

But the month before the day came, there was a sense of dread that blurred everything else, keeping his excitement somewhat lower than the initial. He had tried to shake it off, saying that it was unnecessary.

And now, he was grateful he had hacked his «NerveGear», spending two nights at most to tinker with the physical components, and to manipulate the scripting and coding of the game and device.

Because right now, standing amongst this large crowd of players, with a Yuna whose face had lost all its colour, and Klein who was shaking in his boots, they stared up at the large being.

At _Kayaba Akihiko_.

"W-What the hell? How is this happening…" Klein muttered, the sweat that formed more than necessary. And yet, it didn't mean that he was hot. He was just afraid.

"T-This isn't real, right..?" Yuna looked at her friend, desperate for an answer. "Right?"

"No…" The answer came just as quick, a long pause, the words of the creator of the game sounding nothing more than a blur. "This is our reality now."

He wanted to be optimistic. To tell her that it was all just a dream, and that this was just a fun little game. That they would be able to smile and laugh, no matter what. And that they'd see their families once more, whenever they'd wish to.

But reality was a harsh and cold mistress, unforgiving to anyone. She would never bow to anyone, no matter what.

She would conquer over all.

"Players that die in the game," Kayaba spoke, ignoring the shocked look on everyone's faces. "Will die in reality as well."

"B-Bullsh*t!" The maroon-haired man shouted out of fear, hands shaky as he kept his stare aimed at the game creator. "You're lying!"

"I am not. In fact, the six hundred and twenty-three players that have retired from both this world and the real world are proof of my testament," he spoke, Klein's frustration quickly diminishing, replaced now with cold fear. "And as such, you are trapped here. In the world that is «Sword Art Online»."

Many stood, transfixed to their spots, unable to pry away their eyes from the game creator. They were unable to believe what was happening, but his words were reality itself.

This was true.

"However, there is a way for you to escape. And that, is to finish the game," he told everyone, raising his hand. "I expect all of you to complete it, should you wish to return to the real world. And as such, I wish all of you…"

And try as they would, they could never rid their massive fear, despite his next words.

"The best of luck, in completing «Sword Art Online»," he wished them, before he disappeared into black matter.

* * *

The people remained, screaming at the empty air in fear, desperation and horror. But Nier was never one to do such a thing.

While, yes, he was going to do that sort of thing earlier, ultimately, he gave up, knowing that it would have been utterly pointless.

Kayaba Akihiko had clearly given them his instructions, and they needed to complete the game. While it would certainly be a trying task, that was what they had to do, and he was going to do it, damn it!

So he left the spawning area, chin on his hand as he pondered on his next choices, missing the loud footsteps that followed after him, until they grew louder, prompting him to turn around.

"Yo, Nier! Don't go leaving so suddenly like that, man!" Klein called out, coming to a stop. He looked a bit different now. His hair was maroon, but spiky, when it was previously smooth just earlier.

"Sorry. I… may have gotten too lost in my thoughts," he chuckled in embarrassment. "But never mind that. Don't you have anyone here?"

"Huh? Well, yeah, but I was worried about you. You suddenly looked down and started walking out of the area," he sighed. "Seriously though. Tell us before you just up and leave, mate. You would worry countless people."

"I wouldn't count on that. The most that would worry about me is the two people standing before me," he smiled warmly, regarding them as true friends. "But seriously Klein, you should go. Your friends would worry about you too, you know."

"Ahh… Damn," he scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to do.

"And you, Yuna," he shifted his attention to the girl, who looked a tad bit older than previously, but still the same as always otherwise. "You said so yourself that you had a friend waiting for you. You should go to him."

"Huh? And what about you then?" She asked in worry.

"Oh please, no need to be concerned. I'm more of a one-man party anyways, so there's no trouble there," he chuckled, dismissing the problem. And yet, his friends couldn't help but worry about him.

So their monochromatic-haired friend dived into the game, completely on his own? While he was completely fine with it, they couldn't stand to imagine him being so. That sounded so lonely… There was no way they could just leave him be.

And when the boy saw both his friends sparing a glance at each other, before the both of them shared a nod, returning their gazes at him once more, he could only imagine what they were about to say.

"We're going with you," they said in unison.

…A part of him could only pause time for himself as he tried to process what they had just said, grateful yet surprised all the same. And in that sort moment, shorter than even a nanosecond, he was able to respond…

"Wait, what? No! I'm not letting you come with me!" He shook his head, wanting his decision to be final . "Really, guys, I'll be fine. You should go to your friends. What of them?"

"It's cool. My friends should be fine without me. I mean, they're strong, and I've no doubt that they're going to be alright!" Klein grinned, like the idiot he always is.

"And I… I trust that my friend, Eiji, should be fine. I doubt that he won't get through this just fine as well," Yuna answered, smiling sweetly. "So our decision is final. We're coming with you, Nier."

"Uurgh… I can already tell that you're not going to back down, huh?" His question was met with simple grins from the two. He sighed, shaking his head before his own grin formed on his features. "Fine, fine. But don't blame me if we find ourselves in a ravine somehow."

"Hah! And if that does happen, we'll just have to climb out! Together!" The man pumped his fist high in the air, looking determined.

"And I was interested in finding myself a guitar. As you said, I'd like to try playing, for once," the girl followed up, joining the boy's side. "And playing it... If you'd be there to help me, I'd very much like that.

"Sure, sure. One thing at a time, guys," he chuckled, moving out of the town with his friends.

And as such, the three stuck together, ever since.

* * *

A Week Later

Training had gotten them far, and with Nier's help, they had reached an unbelievable progress in such short time.

Klein and Yuna couldn't believe themselves to be at Lvl 30, and still on the first floor no less!

Yeah, they haven't been able to find the boss room on this floor, sadly. No matter how hard they looked, all that was there were even more monsters, traps, and any other things that were _not_ the boss.

In any case…

"Damn, I can't believe this! We levelled up quick! You sure are quite the player, Nier," Klein sweat-dropped as he looked at his younger friend, who merely smiled back.

"Trust me on this. As long as you stay several levels above the monsters on the floor, you'll be fine," he told him, looking up. Black skies adorned with grey clouds that drifted aimlessly. "Let's get back to the inn. Night's rolling in."

"Yeah, alright," the man nodded, following after his friend.

After a bit of time, the group of three finally managed to find the inn they usually stayed at. While they were worried about having to share a rooms just to save the money in their pouches when they first came here, that thought was instantly burnt out the moment they'd step foot into the inn. The rooms were pretty damn cheap, and, considering their usual hunting sessions, money wouldn't really be a problem.

Stepping into the wooden building, they were greeted with the sight of a counter at the right, a fireplace somewhere to the left, with couches surrounding it, and stairs leading to the rooms upstairs.

Yuna made a beeline for the fireplace, wanting to warm herself. The nights were seriously cold, and despite the new armour that she purchased for herself—with Nier and Klein pouring in some of their own coins, just because they wanted to—the chilly air would still get to her.

She looked like a troubadour now, judging by the armour she wore. A one-piece dress with frills and a buckle, hidden under the white cape with the lute on her back—she actually bought an instrument—and a dagger on her waist, just in case.

But the single thing that never changed, was the feathered hat Nier had gifted her, something she had been practically inseparable from, despite him offering to buy her a new one.

Klein hadn't changed out of his starting gear, finding nothing quite appealing too him. Nier, on the other hand, changed his blue tunic and chest guard, with just a plain white dress-shirt.

While they were worried for him at first, they were kinda' surprised to learn that he had made the article of cloth all on his own, knitting dragon scales among the fabric—he left them to wonder where he got those ingredients.

Hacking at its finest there.

He had maximised his tailoring skill just to make this, before returning it to zero. Needless to say, this dress shirt was way stronger than anything he's seen before, so it was going to work well.

He left the pants, because he didn't really care about it.

Ever since then, Klein's been bothering him with what sort of armour and style he should go for, which had been easy to tolerate for the first few, until the man resorted to shaking him. His answer?

"I don't know… A samurai, maybe? Learn some bushido and you'd be good to go," Nier shrugged his shoulders, the man pausing for a moment to think on that.

And, well, not much progress in finding samurai armour yet.

In any case, the three bode each other a good night, returning to their individual rooms to sleep on it. There would be plenty to do tomorrow.

'And food,' he thought as he laid on his bed, keeping his armour there because it wasn't dirty. 'None of us can cook. Although…'

Yeah. Definitely one of them can figure it out.

* * *

A Few Weeks Later

Time never waited for any man. It would continue running its course, until either man would succumb to defeat, or would catch up with it.

In this instance, time had certainly proceeded as per usual, with weeks passing since. And soon enough, it had been official.

A month has passed since the game began.

All this while, every team had worked together to look for the boss's room, yet found no evidence nor hint of it.

Would there be any particular reason for him to just give up now? Wallow in defeat and allow the tears to drop? Most men would, but Nier wasn't one of them.

And it was his determination that kept him going through, no matter what. And his partners, Klein and Yuna, didn't dare to just fall down now. If their leader—the boy in question had voted for the samurai-to-be to take the role as leader, but he decided otherwise—wouldn't give up, there was no way they were going to.

But seriously, to think that no one's found the boss room despite a month was pretty disappointing.

Still, it didn't necessarily mean that they weren't going to find it. Again, it would only be a matter of time.

So it was strange that the monochromatic-haired boy, while talking with his friends for a bit, was suddenly approached by a blue-haired man, who requested that he attend a players meeting the next two days to discuss about something.

'Hmm… Possibly about the boss room. I wouldn't be surprised then, since we've made literally zero progress so far…' He sighed, turning to look at his friends as the man finally left the scene. "So? What do you guys think?"

"Well, it's not like we've got any other leads, so we may as well go, right?" Klein shrugged, scratching the side of his head. "Where is it again?"

"Should be in a colosseum of sorts, since there's going to be a lot of people there, besides just us," the lad answered, pulling a dagger clipped to his belt. "Hmm… Maybe I should get a sharper knife."

"What are you going to use it for even? I mean, you're a swords-user, so what's a dagger gonna' be of use to you?" The man asked.

"Ehh, just in case. And what do you mean I'm a swords-user? I never specified that I was just going to limit myself to a sword," his cheeky response gained a look of curiosity from the others. "Don't worry about it. Anyways, let's go see if we've got any beasts to kill or anything."

* * *

Two Days Later

Just as the boy thought, everyone had assembled at the town's colosseum, not more than fifty players gathered there.

Deciding to sit together, the three sat at the top of the stairs, waiting for the blue-haired man to conduct this gathering. It was some time later, when a bit more players have finally come, did he start speaking.

"Alright, everyone! Now that we're all here, let's start the meeting already," he nodded, his blue eyes moving from one spot to the other. "My name is Diavel. And I will say, with pride, that I…"

And he struck his fist against his chest, a serious look on his face.

"A knight!" He yelled.

And just like that, it didn't take long for the people to just break into a laughing fit. Though the joke certainly wasn't all that funny, it did help in lightening the otherwise serious mood.

Morale was an important factor in this game of death, and Nier commends him for that.

"Okay, okay, let's all settle down," Diavel chuckled as he raised his arms, waiting as the people calmed down. Once everyone were quiet once more, his expressions turned serious, probably meaning that whatever he was going to say next was important. "Now I know that you're thinking. Why did I call you all of you here?"

"To give us info?" Some random player suggested.

"W-Well, yes, but I believe that the news will indeed surprise you," and that raised everyone's anticipation, and Nier's suspicion was confirmed by his next words. "A few days ago, my team has discovered the location of the boss's room."

"Whoa, really?" The maroon-haired friend of Nier's blinked in surprise. The boy himself remained unfazed, having predicted this quite earlier.

"Indeed. And as such, I have called all of you here so that we could work together so to clear it! I believe it would indeed give us the upper hand, and we will be able to leave this game sooner!" His words came out loud, gaining everyone's full attention as he spoke. "So will you join me? Join me in this battle against the boss?"

Everyone would say 'yes'! It was obvious, wasn't it?

Well…

'As much as people want freedom,' Nier frowned, taking a look at Yuna, noticing her distressed look. Klein didn't look any much different, to be honest. 'Fear of death keeps them locked down.'

Fear. A simple concept that a simple child would understand. And yet, it was the very factor that affected their current progress.

In a game, no such thing exists. Men would undoubtedly conquer the challenges before them because, even if there were plans that would backfire and losses made, there was a major difference that bordered this game and others.

This game implemented _death_ into its system.

Anyone knows that dying is scary. It's just a simple logic people have come to perceive it, although there are those that react to it in different ways. There are those that would scream and shout in fear, and those that willingly opens their arms, ready to receive it.

Right now, as Nier sat in this colosseum, the people were afraid to die. Who wasn't? He himself didn't want to die yet.

But he held fast onto the belief that he, and everyone else in this game, would make it out alive, even if those hopes weren't looking bright. Because someone's got to believe, right?

And just as his name entails, despite he himself not realising it, he will act as the beacon of hope for the people.

All of his thoughts pushed aside for now, he stood up, all eyes attentively directed at him.

"I know I am," he nodded, raising his right hand in the air. "You've already made things easier for us, discovering the location of the boss room for us. All that we need to do next is just slay it, just like any other videogame bosses. Shouldn't be too hard."

"N-Nier…" The girl sitting beside him looked almost awed, if the worry didn't overshadow aforementioned feeling.

"Look. I don't want to stay here any longer than you do, alright? I've got a family back home, and I don't want to leave them all alone," he sighed, wondering what his mum and dad were doing. "So I'm going to do everything I can to get out of this game. I'm not going to die here."

His hand dropped, but the determined look that crossed his face remained strong.

"I assume you're the same as well?" Though it sounded as if he aimed his words at the blue-haired man, he was actually directing this question to everyone there.

And soon enough, his words reached ears and heart, before men and women all around him stood up as well, all sharing a simple trait as the boy before them. Hope.

"Hell yeah! We're going to get out of here alive!" Klein pumped his fist in the air, looking ready.

"A-And we'll do our best as well!" Yuna nodded as well. Still afraid, but at least she had a bit of courage brimming in her now.

"YEAH!" And everyone came to shout as well, filling the entire colosseum with noise.

Once all that was done and over, they got back to the task at hand.

They discussed on the basic things, such as the experience points, Cor—the currency in this world—and the boss drop. The XP would be distributed to everyone, the Cor would be given to the group that does the killing blow, and the boss spoils to whom gets their hand on it.

Forming a party? Easy enough. As Nier looked around him, everyone seemed to have gotten a group together. He himself had one as well, his friends. But then he noticed someone else, someone far off in the corner.

She was definitely a girl, if her slim build was anything to say from. Though her face remained hidden by her hood, her strawberry-blond hair remained visible, just barely hidden.

While he was against disturbing her at first, he noticed how she kept to herself, not joining any other teams around here. And as such, it was why he suddenly walked over to her, calling his friends to follow him.

"Excuse me," he called out, gaining her attention. She looked up, and he managed to catch a hint of brown. Her eye, no doubt. "You're not partied to any group. Why's that?"

"Mmm… I just thought that, since everyone here is already close friends with each other, I'd rather not intrude," she answered, not much tone in her voice. He could understand a part of that logic, though he wouldn't let it slide now.

"Hmm… If that's how it's gonna' be, then how about you join us?" He offered, his two friends sharing a look, before turning back to the girl. "I mean, it wouldn't be fair for you to be fighting on your own on this one. Diavel already said that we're teaming up, so may as well, right?"

"…" There was a brief moment of silence, used by the girl to ponder on his words. And, no matter how she looked at it, they held simple truth. Nodding, she looked back at him. "Very well."

"Alright then," he smiled, pulling out his menu before scrolling to the 'Party' section, inviting her. She clicked on the blue circle, accepting it. After a moment, right beside his health bar with his name, her own appeared. 'Asuna? Huh. Pretty name.'

"Hey Nier! Don't forget to invite us too!" Klein grinned, slinging his arm over the younger boy's shoulder. "And you don't mind being leader, right? I don't think I could really do the leading at all."

"I highly doubt that. You'd make a good leader if you had your own guild," he snickered back, sending invitations to his friends, who accepted in response. "Alright then. We're all in."

"Okay! This will be exciting!" The brown-haired girl giggled, clasping her hands before her. "So hey, when are we going to set out?"

"That," the boy paused, turning towards Diavel's direction. "Diavel! When are we leaving?"

"Three days from now, at ten in the morning! Use the time to prep and all that," he hollered back, hands cupped around his mouth. Everyone got the message well, nodding back.

"Well, we've got our answer. Three days from now," the lad sighed, before a confident grin crossed his features. One that his friends have seen more than enough times to make sense of what it meant; it was one that he always displayed against a defeated enemy. "So let's talk strategy."

* * *

Two Days Later

Every man and woman participating in the boss battle had been busy getting their sh*t together, pouring all their resources as they possibly could to purchase good equipment, provisions and other necessary things.

All were indefinitely serious about this, wanting to get through this no matter what. This was something that would undoubtedly decide their future. Whether they would remain here as locked guinea pigs, or they would unbind themselves from the shackles that keep them locked in this game.

And as for our four protagonists…

*Twak!*

"Bruh!" Klein gawked in amazement, the girls beside him showing their own reactions; Yuna as if she had seen a stuntman perform such a magic trick, and Asuna clearly surprised, indicated by her slight shuffling in her spot.

Nier, smirking as he walked once more to his beginning spot, snatched his newest weapon with quick movements, doing a simple spin before he raised the weapon, narrowing his eyes. Breath hitched in his throat, he notched the arrow onto the string, pulling back until his arm extended far behind. A second passed, no noise heard around him. Everything grew silenced, until he finally released, watching as the arrow fly forwards and true, hitting its mark.

That made it his tenth bullseye. In the same target, no less.

"I never knew you were a good archer," Asuna spoke up, earning an amused grin from the monochromatic-haired lad. "In fact, I never thought bows were usable here."

"True. But remember when I said I wanted to go out hunting for some materials yesterday?" His question was met with nods. "Well, it was actually for this."

"Huh? So that's why you had me go kill those large spiders?" The adult of the group blinked, mouth slightly agape.

"And is that why you had me take a look around the market to buy wood?" The bard spoke next, visibly surprised.

"Yup, and yes. I was actually waiting to make this," he raised his wooden bow high for all to see. "And arrows weren't necessarily difficult to make, really."

"Dude, doesn't this require your smithing skill to be high or something? Like, level six?" The man scratched his chin, curious.

"Not really. The most it requires is level three, which is the level of which my smithing skills is currently at," he puffed his chest outwards, proud of his hacking skills. Although, he decided that he'd keep the smithing level at three from then on, just to avoid suspicion. "In any case, I decided that I'd be using a sword and a bow, just to add some spice to the mix."

"But wouldn't that be kinda' hard? Using a bow… You'd be relying heavily on arrows, which will definitely run out, and it doesn't really deal as much damage as any other weapon," the bard pointed out.

"True that. However, I've made more than enough arrows, and this bow and its arrows are my pieces of work. Trust me, it will work fine," he waved them off, deciding to use tomorrow, on the fifth of December. "In any case, everyone, do you guys want anything? I've got a lot of coins on me."

Again, hacking for the win.

"Seriously? Sweet! Then I was planning on getting a katana!" The adult was quick to answer, excited as to be expected.

"Sure. And don't worry, I've got a lot of funds on me, so we won't be running out of Cor any time soon," he smiled as he decided to use his little lie, pulling out a pouch of coins. It looked heavy, and the others were understandably surprised. "Oh, don't worry. This is just one fourth of my whole wallet."

"Ehh?! How the heck do you have so much in such short time?!" His male friend gushed, eyes wide with surprise.

"There was a spawning area with monsters that dropped more Cor than materials, so I went there a lot," he shrugged. "Seriously though, the only reason I stopped going there for some time was because I didn't know how to burn this much of money, besides throwing it into the lake, that is."

"Wait. So you've gone to an area which spawns monsters that drop a high amount of Cor, and you've kept it up until now?" She asked. Though he couldn't see her face, she was entirely surprised.

"Yup. That's just how it worked," he shrugged. "Alright then, Klein. You said you wanted to go buy yourself a katana, didn't you? Let's go see if they have any in stock," and just as he said that, the man's eyes went wide.

"Oh yeah! The quicker we go, the better it is! Let's go!" And as such, he pulled his friend by the wrist, ready to go to the market.

"W-Wait for us!" And the sole girl who, up until this point was certainly showing emotion, scurried after the two males, the other girl trailing behind them.

This was certainly going to be a day.

* * *

December 5th—Floor 1: Forest Field

And just as Diavel had informed everyone, the clearers have gathered together, progressing towards the boss room of which it's whereabout had been discovered by that the blue-haired man's group.

All in all, it wasn't that bad. There hadn't been any monsters as far as the eye could see, and the only pesky thing that they had to be wary about were holes in the ground. Other than that, it was rather pleasant, to put it simply.

Lush green scenery that definitely replicated the real world's fauna quite impressively. Sounds of the rivers humming as they flowed, acting as the natural background music as they went to the boss room. There were little birds here and there, which only made things better.

Yuna definitely seemed to enjoy it, if the bright smile and shining eyes weren't much indication. And as Nier and the others trail a little bit back, he was thinking.

Thinking on what he should do. He could go for the death blow, taking the boss's drop, but his dress shirt was already so strong, despite looking like a simple piece of cloth. He added a fancy black pauldron—entirely hand-crafted by your one and only—to attach to his left shoulder, but that was it. Maybe he'll look for some other armour some other day.

But back to the topic at hand, his whole gear was good to go, so he decided against taking the boss drop. He knew it was armour, since he's played the beta test before.

A mental command had his eyes glowing a light shade of blue, and soon enough, the colours of the scenery changed. Everything turned darker, as if night had suddenly rolled in, except the people around him. They were shining white, whereas the creatures around him held different colours; red, yellow, and blue.

Whenever he scanned his enemy, he could tell how strong they were, judging by the colour. Blue for weaker, yellow for those on his level, and red that were stronger than him.

So far, he hadn't met anything that were greater in strength than he was, so he should be safe. He doubted the boss would be anything worse.

*Snap!*

"Hmm?" Perking up at the sound of a branch snapping in two, he looked down, noticing that he was indeed stepping on one. Ignoring that, he continued forwards, his friends seemingly talking to each other. Asuna, on the other hand, was dragged into a conversation about samurais by Klein. He found amusement in this, the smile that came after easy and genuine. 'Haha… This group is awesome.'

* * *

Everyone soon arrived at the door to the boss room, looking ready. Their weapons all polished and well, there was no mistaking it. They were prepared to go in, and fight.

But before they did…

"Huh? What do you mean something bad is about to happen?" Our 'Protagonist' was asked by his male friend, the others sharing a look of concern as well.

"This is just mere speculation, mind you, but I have a… gut feeling, as you would," the boy began, seeing everyone staying their gaze at Diavel. "So I have a strategy of my own. One that I intend to make use of whenever I give the signal."

"But what makes you say that? We haven't even stepped foot into the boss room," the bard questioned her friend, finding that quite perplexing and, to be honest, amazing. For him to make such a strong thesis had her quite taken aback.

"Kayaba Akihiko, a man who created «Sword Art Online». I've no doubt that he would give us a challenge if he's already planned for this to be a game of death," he shrugged. "In fact… do you know what is?"

And just as he finished speaking, Diavel had pushed the massive doors open, the heavy heaving sound filling the outer room with sound.

And footsteps moved into the boss room, everyone ready to claim their win.

Though his friends worried that their leader would just leave them hanging, he did answer them, as he walked forwards to join the rest.

"He is a creator who wishes to test the strength, willpower and hope of men," he spoke under his breath, the rest of his team sharing a look of confusion, before they followed after him.

Their steps were soft, but they marched, so it made sense why the sound of their feet rung throughout the entire room. Everything was dark, but the throne at the far end, as well as the titanic being that sat upon it, was clearly seen.

'Well,' Nier, smiling as he stared at the creature, its eyes glimmering as its gaze fell upon the group of humans. 'Okay then. Father! Mother! I said that I'd prove myself, right? Well, I'll get over my first challenge, just you watch!'

And the battle was on.

 ***Nier Automata—Goliath 01 (Play Song)***

*HrghahAHAAA!*

It was long before «Illfang» jumped from his throne, but its blood-curdling roar reached every creak of the boss room, before «Ruin Kobold Sentinels» spawned out of nowhere, wielding maces and wearing iron armour.

Well, if the monsters were ready to fight, then man would meet their fangs with iron.

"Everyone! Commence the attack!" Diavel, as the stunning knight he proclaimed himself to be, shouted at the top of his lungs, brandishing his sword towards the enemies' way and shield in other hand.

"HRHYAA!" And the players, bolstered by their own battlecries, rushed forth, swords and spears ready to kill.

*Shing!*

"Hmph. Easy kill," Nier chuckled as he pivoted over a kobold, allowing Klein to take it down. "Klein, behind you!"

"Got it!" He shouted back, turning quickly to slash the the kobold, watching as it shatter into glass and colours.

"Okay! Keep this up!" While Nier would have loved to go against the boss on his own, he didn't want to drag his friends into the fray, so decided that he'd take vanguard duty.

He sheathed his blade, equipping himself with his bow this time. Twisting the arrow in his hand, before pulling it against the bowstring, he aimed it at a «Ruin Kobold Sentinel», letting loose and watching it bury itself in its head, effectively killing it in a single shot.

Smirking, he twisted on his feet, almost as if he performed such a dance as he sniped another, firing arrow after arrow that never failed to kill. And even if they did get close, he was quick to return to his blade, making swift work of his enemies.

"He's good," Asuna commented as she struck the bipedal foes, jumping back to let the monochromatic-haired boy to put the remaining ones down, with just an arrow each. "Isn't this your first time using your bow?"

"Yup! And I told you I won't let you down," he smiled, slamming the bow against the creature's helmet, pulling out his sword and cleaving it in half, leaving colours in its fade.

"Squad A, B, C! Continue switching with each other! We can do this!" Diavel yelled as he swiped his blade through a minion, before bashing his shield into another, dazing it and allowing someone else to finish it. "Squad D, E, F! Continue keeping the sentinels off of us!"

"Yeah, we heard ya'!" The maroon-haired man shouted back, digging his katana through a kobold, before slicing another. "Darn! There's a lot!"

"Where the king resides, his paladins will surely be there to defend him," the boy spoke, watching as the hooded strawberry-blonde poke holes at the enemies, killing them quickly. "Yuna, you're up!"

"R-Right!" She nodded, pulling out her guitar. With a simple strum, and a high note sung, orange light dazzled around the three fighters, with renewed vigour pulsating through their veins.

"Whoa hoa hoa! I didn't think there was a skill for singing!" Klein grinned brightly as he cut down a minion, ducking low to avoid a painful smack. Instead, it dropped down soon after, an arrow in its chest before it disappeared. "And hey, Nier! When'd you find time to teach her?"

"Yesterday," he answered, letting his arrows whistle through the air, bombarding the horde of kobolds. "I found a rather interesting book, and it had a few techniques based on singing written in it. I thought, 'Hey, why not just show this to Yuna?', so yeah."

"As long as it helps, I'll keep trying my best!" The girl in question declared, playing more strings and singing, a soft blue hue washing over them now.

*Bam!*

"Hh..!" Asuna felt a mace against her back. Retaliating back, she thrust her rapier straight through it, putting it down quickly. "A defense buff?"

"Don't lose focus now! Look there!" He pointed his finger towards where the commotion was growing stronger. When all eyes turned there, it was apparent that the boss was now on its final health bar. "And looks like my intuition was right."

"Huh? What do you mean?" He blinked, still not seeing anything different.

Until a minute later, the large creature emitted a powerful roar, tossing its sword and shield aside, cracking the earth. The players took to a more defensive stance, expecting it to use a talwar. But instead, it weld a nodachi, completely throwing them all by surprise.

All except one, that is.

"Alright, guys! It's time! Stick to the plan!" He ordered his team, all of whom nodded back, looking ready.

"Got it! / Roger, / O-Of course!" All three gave their own responses, joining his side.

And it didn't take long enough for them to form a line of three, with Yuna standing behind them, considering the fact that she couldn't fight.

By their leader's command, they rushed forwards!

*GhrGAA!*

"Not happening," he clicked his tongue, spinning the arrow among his fingers before attaching it to his bowstring, pulling it back and firing at the boss, a clean hit at its eye.

*GhghHGARAAA!*

"Well, you officially made it mad," Klein reached beside him, gulping in slight worry. He held up his katana in what could be considered a more defensive stance, opposed to his usual attack-focused methods.

"Right. Klein, increase your aggro. Maintain your status as the «Sentinel». Asuna, continue poking at it, since you're the «Ravager». I'll be there to help you out. Yuna, you're our «Medic» and «Synergist»," everyone nodded back, earning a smile of confidence from the lad. "Okay… Go!"

"Hey butt-face!" The samurai yelled, instantly drawing the monster's attention. Though stupid it is, it certainly knew a mock when it heard one. "Yeah, that's right! I bet you can't do nothing to this guy! You're not strong!"

Hissing through gritted teeth, it powered up its sword, breaking into a rush towards the man. The latter gulped, willing his katana to power up as well, before he rammed it forwards.

*Ching!*

"Asuna!" Nier shouted, going forwards.

"Right!" She yelled back.

The two, acting in perfect synchronisation, sliced and thrust blade and rapier at the massive creature, slowly nicking away at its health.

"Hhhaa~…" Yuna emitted a soft note, high-pitched yet melodious. Reaching the ears of her teammates, red and orange threads danced around them, before absorbing itself into them. 'Nier's counting on me… I can't let him down!'

The boy himself swapped his sword for his bow now, letting loose a volley of arrows towards the boss, planting twenty arrows in its chest, all with red marks acting as the evidence.

Returning to his sword, the creature made a move to cut him down, but Klein beat him to it, guarding his younger friend. Muttering his thanks, Nier leaped into the air, leaving a deep gash in its chest, followed up with Asuna thrusting away at its flesh, leaving holes.

The bard continued to play and sing, watching as green light wrapped her friends' bodies. Their health bars recovered.

'Definitely not possible, since this is a four-man party, but that doesn't really matter,' their leader snickered, jumping away as the beast swung its sword down, shattering rock and floor as the sword collided with the ground. "Asuna, Klein, switch to 'Cerberus' tactic!"

"Hai!" They shouted back, joining their leader.

*Shing! Chang! Khwish!* *RhghgaAGA!*

No matter how hard it tried, leaping towards the ceiling, bouncing here and there and trying to land a finishing blow, the three were experts, keeping it off its feet. Nier overpowered it in pure strength, Asuna had it cornered with her unparalleled speed, and Klein was tanking it like a boss.

The realisation soon dawned upon it, that it had f**ked up.

"A bit more!" The black-white haired boy cried out, eyes solely focused on the beast. He slashed the beast with his sword, not yielding to the tire that was slowly building up. Every part of his being screamed at him to stop, but his heart wanted him to finish it. "Hrhaa!"

The beast swung its sword upwards, Nier using it as elevation to go up into the air, raining down multiple arrows upon the creature. It blocked them with the nodachi, snarling as it made its way towards Klein.

The man brought up his katana, blocking the weapon but sent backwards. Before he managed to regain his footing, the bipedal creature made its move to cut him down, but men poured in from all sides, cutting off its progress.

"All men! Charge it!" Diavel rushed to the boy's side, who had just returned to ground. "Thank you for the help. And you're pretty good, so to say. Can you keep fighting?"

"Of course. I don't remember saying that I'm backing out of the battle any time soon," he nodded, rushing forth to his friends' sides, blade in hand.

The beast was supposed to be dead, but it remained clinging onto life, stubborn and incredibly sturdy. No matter, it wouldn't change anything.

"Asuna! Klein! Shift to 'Guarded Assault'! Klein, you and me act as the «Sentinels». Yuna, maintain your position as «Synergist» and «Medic»! Let's push through this!" The three of them listened to their leader, and they knew what to do.

"Right!" They shouted back.

As the tactic he had devised, they followed it, with Asuna going in for the kill, the other two boys there to back her up as her shields.

«Illfang» powered up its sword, running towards the strawberry-blonde to cut her down with its sword, but Nier was already there, sword glowing before it parried its nodachi, sending it into a stagger.

Taking this chance, the girl engaged the beast with multiple strokes, a four-hit combo on it that only chipped at its health even more. The beast managed to knock her back, cutting away at her health, which was healed immediately by Yuna's singing.

The boss raised its nodachi, ready to strike once more, until Klein rushed in next.

"Switch tactics to 'Cerberus'!" The lad shouted, and immediately, the samurai took it as his cue to slash his sword across the monster, leaving a bright red cut.

Without wasting a moment, all men rushed forwards, poking and cutting away at it, some sent flying backwards by it sweeping its blade across it, sending them all back.

With a well-timed parry, Nier switched with Asuna, letting her launch her combo onto the creature once more, blade becoming a blur each time she attacked it. He gained distance away from the creature, pulling out his bow before giving in to his adrenaline, pumping arrow after arrow nonstop, watching as they flew and landed cleanly in the beast's flesh.

They were very close! Just a bit more!

*Twak!*

Another arrow dug into its belly, making it his sixtieth shot. Smiling, he put it away for now, ready to end this.

"Klein, Asuna, make me an opening! I'm about to finish it!" He ordered, the two nodding back.

Hanging the arrow to his back, the quiver right beside it, he pulled out his sword, running towards the creature. One last hit. And if he does get the item, he'll just see if he could just give it to someone else.

The two, samurai and rapier-wielder, encircled the creature, avoiding the tip end of its sword as they dealt their own damages, as much as they possibly could, bringing it to just a sliver more.

Fatigued and beyond capable of saving itself, the creature let loose one final growl, the «Ruin Kobold Sentinels» everywhere making haste to their master's side, only for the other clearers to block them.

Nier muttered a silent thanks, closing the distance between himself and the beast. The nodachi that was supposed aimed directly at him only acted as his bridge, as he stepped onto it, still running towards the creature.

"And may your life go down in history," he smirked, the sword in his right hand glowing with colour and energy, before it zipped forwards, digging itself into the creature's skull, the immense power behind it blowing it apart.

*Kzzhaak!* *GhhGHAGAKH!*

 ***Nier Automata—Goliath 01 (Play Song)***

...

*Prrh!*

And the boy dropped to the ground, as the body he once stood atop suddenly dissipated into fragments, as a large message sprouted in the middle of the air.

'THE BOSS HAS BEEN DEFEATED!'

"YEAH!" Everyone burst into fits of screaming and laughing, ecstatic and overjoyed at their victory. Though it was only the beginning, this stemmed a new hope in each man and woman, as they were pretty much good to move forwards.

On the other side of all that cheering, Nier dropped to his knees, panting slightly.

Even though this was just an avatar of his, created solely of bytes and data, the game mimicked every real-life situations perfectly. He was tired, no doubt, but he was happy nonetheless.

'Well then… What do you think about that, mother, father?' He thought, absentmindedly scratching his hair.

*Tk! Tk! Tk!*

"Yo, Nier!" The boy in question turned around, just in time to see Klein running over to him, Asuna and Yuna trailing behind him. "You good, man?"

"Yeah…" The boy breathed out, perking up at the sound of a notification alarm. A message appeared before him, saying that he had just won the boss's drop. It was some form of armour, although it didn't really match up to his own. 'It's a given. I'd better find someone to give this to.'

"Nier," the boy turned to Yuna next, who looked concerned. "Are you okay? You look pretty drained."

"Well… It's to be expected, isn't it? This may just be a game… but it does make everything feel pretty realistic," he chuckled, looking to the taller girl. "And Asuna, thanks for the help. You were really great."

"You were something as well, I must admit," there was a short pause, as if she was taking the time to think about something. It wasn't necessarily about what to say, but she did take off her hood, revealing her face. And daresay, the two boys of the party were visibly surprised.

The hood pulled back, releasing that beautiful hair that they had only caught brief glances of. So long, with some of them braided together, it looked so pretty, flowing freely. Brown eyes, of which the eyelids fluttered softly open, shining beautifully and complementing her looks immensely. Soft facial features made her seem so young, but Nier could tell that she was probably a year older than her.

He couldn't believe himself. How could such a beautiful specimen exist in this world of data? It felt too good to be real.

But who would've thought someone was envious of the girl?

Maybe no one was able to see her, but the moment he laid his gaze upon the strawberry-blonde, taken aback by her sheer beauty, a certain songstress couldn't help but feel rather left out.

"W-Well," he coughed into his fist, trying to pry his eyes away from staring into hers. So pretty. "In any case, your armour's looking pretty worn out, although you didn't take much damage from the fight. Let me guess. Training?"

"Err… yeah," for once, she displayed emotion; an uncharacteristic shyness that was a metaphorical arrow to the heart. She giggled, noticing the looks of surprise on the boy's face, mistaking it for just that, when it was actually him struck by the sweetness displayed before him.

"I see… Then," he brought up his menu, tapping on a few buttons. The others watched him attentively, until a coat materialised on his lap. Standing up with it in hand, he held it before her. "Take this."

"What? But isn't this the boss drop?" She asked, rather confused at this.

"I won it, yeah. So what?" He returned her question with his own, but he had his answer ready, if the smile didn't mean anything. "It'll help you more than it'll help me, so take it."

He sure wasn't going to let this go, no doubt. So may as well as take it.

"Alright… Thank you very much," her smile was genuine, remaining there as she took it from his hands, nodding. "Ah. Also, I have a request, so would you mind?"

"Sure. If it's in my power, I'll see to it that it gets done. What can I do for you?" He asked, patient.

This was something that his parents had drilled into him from a young age. If someone asked something of you, it was necessary that you do all you could to fulfil it. While he would have thought it to be practically useless to do such thing, there was a moral value to be taken from it.

Simply, it strengthened your bonds with that of whom you choose to help out. That was something that would undoubtedly come to help you in the future, something he himself hoped for. In this death game of Kayaba's, it was necessary to help each other's backs, considering that it was the only way to survive.

And in this case, who knows? One day, he might be repaid in another way he wouldn't expect. So for the sake of his own humanity, he'll see to it that he'll get what needs done done.

"Well…" Her voice brought her out of his reverie, his gaze landing upon a nervous Asuna, who was clearly fidgeting on the spot. "It's just, uhh… It's not all that difficult, really."

"Really? Then I think I can fulfil it already," he chuckled, crossing his arms. "So? What will it be?"

"R-Right. You see…" She opened her mouth to say something, only for the words to just drop down from the tongue. She wanted to put this in a way that wouldn't be too awkward.

But would he seriously take such offence from this? He was such an understanding individual, to the point where she's never seen him to be angry before this. The only times when he would get serious, is during deadly battles such as this one. And even then, she could see him smiling from time to time.

He was someone she could trust, even with her life, as shown during the battle.

"Can I join your group?" And things definitely changed.


	4. Chapter 3

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 3: Don't Die On Me'`

 _Nier, Yuna, Klein and Asuna. A swordsman who weld a bow, a songstress of whom her voice healed and strengthened, a samurai who walks the path of true bushido, and the rapier-wielder who was known worldwide._

 _They were the strongest in the game, beating obstacles that came across them. With their leader's cunning wits and strategies, and each and everyone pouring in their strength and faith, they made it out alive._

 _But it was not just their swords that won them the battle, nor was it just their tactics that bested the enemy. Rather, t'was the strength of their bonds together that carried them far, no matter what._

* * *

Floor 12: Labyrinth

"Wait, so your birthday is on the ninth of April?" Yuna asked once more, the lad in question nodding. "Huh. And you were born on 2008? Then that makes me…"

"Older than me by two years, with Asuna younger than you by one and Klein being the adult he is," he shrugged, ignoring the sweat-drop from the male. "Speaking of. Asuna, when's your birthday?"

"Thirtieth of September, 2007," she answered, the coat she wore black, not necessarily going well with her, but the added protection was better than nothing.

Ever since the day that they finished off «Illfang», Asuna had officially joined this little team, and in no less than a week, they've reached Lvl 35, all due to Nier's help. It was rather exhausting, but it wasn't that hard. The only one who faced the biggest problem was Asuna, who had to start from ten levels lower, but still, she managed it in the end.

Ever since then, they've been travelling from town to town, quickly escalating up the floors. It was certainly confusing as to how far they've really come together.

In any case, the group of four were making small chat as they walked through the labyrinth, calm and fine since the monsters here weren't all that strong. Even so, they knew that the couldn't just let their guards down, so Nier was always being vigilant.

And as they talked and talked, he decided to use «Libra», the skill that allowed him to scan his environments and targeted beings.

And he was surprised.

Footprints, white and bright on the floor, leading to some location far off. And from the looks of it, there wasn't just one, but five people. A guild, probably? Or just a simple group?

The difference between a guild and a party, which is the one Nier was in, is that a guild is a large-sized party that allows many people to join, whereas a party was a very small one.

And Nier, feeling as if his group would slowly grow over time, decided that he'd form a guild someday. Maybe the others were fine joining him?

"…elp..!" Everyone stopped in their tracks, hearing loud shouts from a direction. And Nier knew where. It was directly from the location of which the footsteps lead to.

"Looks like there's trouble. Come on, everyone," he looked back past his shoulder, the three of them nodding back.

* * *

Sana Hitachi was, admittedly, a timid girl.

She was never fond of being in the spotlight, possessing stage fright early in her life. While she can do some cool things, she never had the courage to stand up before a huge crowd of people to present it to them. She would feel dizzy and nervous, overwhelmed by the urge to just run and hide.

But all that changed when she joined her school's computer club. Well, partly.

Four idiots of whom she was proud to call her friends, despite their sheer recklessness.

Each individual was special in his own way, and she found herself so happy in their presence, that there was no reason for her to be afraid.

Together, they were capable of doing things that would have been impossible on their own, and Sana found her place amongst the four of them, despite being the only female there.

So, when one day, her club leader invited her to play «Sword Art Online», going so far as to purchase a copy for her, how could she possibly refuse? The game had her excited, not only because it would mean that she'd get to play with her friends, but also because she could be whoever she wanted to be and do whatever she wanted to do without fear.

There would be no stage to stand atop. And the game would clearly respect her decision to not fight. She doubted that she would do much good in a fight anyways.

Stepping into the game, she decided to just go with an avatar that was literally a mirror of her true looks. And, deciding that making complicated names would just be stupid, she decided to name herself 'Sachi', a combination of her front name and surname.

But then Kayaba Akihiko had to play his cards. It just had to become a living hell.

But the boys, they were determined to get through this. They would become strong, fight on and live the days outside of this game. And it seems that their optimism rubbed off on her, as she too wanted to fight as well.

But seriously, going into the labyrinth with a handful of potions, only to be cornered by a horde of monsters… Kayaba must really hate the players.

*Ching!*

"Tetsuo, hold on!" A brown-haired teenager rushed to his friend, wanting to get over and help, but was already busy with a «Dire Wolf». They're wolves, but dire. "Damn it!"

"K-Keita…" A blue-haired girl whimpered, the spear in her left and shield in the other shaking. Her body was trembling, and she couldn't bear to do anything.

Despite obviously possessing the range, and good protection no less, she was no better than a rookie who had just been forced to play something she has never played her whole life, which was the truth. This is the first game to ever make use of the «NerveGear», after all.

But the others were fine. But pitted against these stronger foes, what chance do they have?

'Oh God..!' She prayed in her mind, screwing her eyes shut as a friend of hers screamed. 'Please, save us..!'

*Twak!* *Rrhwaa…*

"H-Huh?" Just as she said that, she noticed the wolf dropping down to the ground, an arrow in its neck, with the beast itself shattering into light and glass a moment later. Looking up to where the arrow came from—

Stood a boy, his hair half white and the other black, wearing a simple black dress shirt with a black pauldron on his left shoulder, as well as black pants. Black eyes narrowed, solely focused on the beasts that attacked the guild.

Whoa, he looked cool.

"Alright! Our objective, defend this guild!" The mysterious boy shouted, three more people coming behind him. A tall man with a katana, a beautiful girl with a rapier, and another girl with a guitar. "Klein, Asuna, slay all the «Dire Wolves». Yuna, make sure to keep away and heal us. I'll defend you."

"You got it!" The samurai smacked his fist into his open palm, before unsheathing his katana, rushing into the fray, the rapier-wielder going in with him.

The two were clearly strong, shown by how easily they defeated these otherwise difficult enemies. With a combo or two, and the monsters were shattering quicker than they had ever thought possible.

And they weren't even giving their all, probably. They didn't even use their «Sword Skills» yet!

The archer was making this look like child's play. He pulled and released the bowstring, each of his arrows hitting straight at the head of the wolves, putting them down immediately.

Secret being that the boy had put time into enhancing the quality of the arrows. That was important on its own, so to maximise the damage output.

And it was clearly working. Just one shot, and it was more than enough so to cut their health bars to zero.

"Alright! More are going to come, so get going!" The boy shouted, turning on his heels and slamming the bow into a wolf, swapping for his sword and killing it. "Yuna, go. I'll be behind you."

"Right," she nodded, rushing after the others, who were running off to one direction. The guild who came here must know the whereabouts of the exit, probably.

They left the area soon after.

* * *

Floor 11: Taft

"Cheers!" The large group of people raised their goblets of ale in the air, large smiles on all of their faces.

After everything had been sorted out, and the groups left the labyrinth, the «Moonlit Black cats»—the guild of which Nier and his group had rescued—invited him and his party to the ale house as thanks.

So here they were, drinking and eating together. They were reluctant to let Nier pay for the meals, since he had just saved them, but he wasn't having none of it. He still had enough coins to buy two cabins anyways, so that was that.

"So, let's see…" The boy hummed as he looked at the people before him. A brown-outfitted lad, a boy with slightly curly hair, another boy with yellow hair, the tallest member whose eyes were closed, and the girl with blue hair. He pointed at each one of them at a time. "Keita, Sasamaru, Ducker, Tetsuo and Sachi, was it?"

"Yup. And you must be Nier, Klein, Asuna and Yuna, right?" Keita nodded, asking back. The monochromatic-haired boy flashed a thumbs-up.

"Indeed. And I must say, that was pretty dangerous for you to be in the labyrinth. Luckily for you, we happened to be nearby. If not, we would've been unable to save you. Please, for your sakes, be more careful in the future," he gently scolded, not wishing to see these people die so early just yet.

"Yeah… Sorry about that," Keita chuckled, though there was the slight sense of embarrassment in him. "But again, thank you so much for saving us. Who knows what would have—"

"You would've been dead, so to speak," he shrugged, taking a sip of his own drink, ignoring the somewhat afraid looks from the other guild. "Don't think that you would've been safe. I've seen firsthand at what you were capable of. And judging by how troubled you guys looked back there, you're not even above Lvl 27."

"W-Well, you're right about that…" Ducker scratched the back of his head. "We're Lvl 20."

"And what of you, Nier?" Sachi asked next, somewhat curious.

"As of right now, we're Lvl 36," he answered simply, shrugging. "We've trained a lot, and stuff."

"Wow… That's so high," the girl spoke in pure wonder, drinking from her cup slowly. No wonder they were doing so well. It's expected of a player who was literally nine levels above the enemy!

"Nier always tells us that maintaining a level higher than the enemy is important so to not face any difficulties in battle," Yuna joined in the conversation, a smile adorning her features. "So he's always going ahead to train. And of course, we'd have to come along. Because if not, he'd be training alone."

"Yeah. Wouldn't that make things easier?" The lad chuckled in amusement, taking a piece of bread and biting it. There was a soft presence of butter in it.

He would have loved nothing more than to take a bowl and pour himself some hot, steaming soup that had chicken and mushrooms in it, but a quick look at Klein with four bowls already must mean that he really liked it. Oh well, he supposed he could let the man have his fun.

"No! If you were alone, and bad things happened, we wouldn't be able to save you!" She pouted, adorable as ever.

"Hai, hai. Forgive me for that then, Yuna-senpai," he nodded. In response, she drummed her soft hands against his shoulder, red in the face.

"Don't call me that! I may be older than you, but I want you to just call me Yuna, dummy!" The songstress fumed.

"Wow, you two are really close," Sachi commented, smiling softly.

"Well, we have been fighting together since the game began, so I guess it's kinda' understandable," he shrugged. "Klein was with us at the time too. Asuna just joined recently."

"I see. And the four of you aren't in a guild yet?" That part had her wondering as to why they weren't in one yet.

Judging by their immense strength, she had thought of them being asked by guilds all around them to join them. Think about it. Who wouldn't want a strong ally on their side? It would certainly make things a whole heck of a lot easier.

And truth be told, they have been requested to join others' guilds. Nier decided not to, stating that he'd rather remain solo, and that was his initial plan, before Yuna and Klein decided to join him. And as for the others, knowing this fact, decided to remain with him.

"Mmm, reasons," the songstress giggled easily. "Although, we _do_ plan to make ourselves a guild one day. We're just not sure how to."

"Oh! Then in fact, how about we tell you how to do so? Consider it a part of our payment to you," the bluenette spoke once more.

"Hah. _Part of_? In case you haven't forgotten, you were kind enough to bring us here," he gestured to the table.

"And you paid for it," she laughed back.

"Mmm, fair point. But nonetheless, you don't need to feel yourselves indebted to us. I only ask that you'd be careful in the future. Wouldn't want you to throw your lives just like that," he huffed, crossing his arms. "So? How do we form a guild?"

"Well, you'd need to go to to the third floor. There should be a quest that would allow you to form a guild there," she explained. "You would have to fight a simple boss. If I'm not mistaken, it's «Nerius, the Evil Treant»."

"Really? Well, this should be interesting. Haven't fought a tree monster before this," he smirked, a look already too familiar to the rest of his party. It meant that he already had a plan in his head. "Okay. Then I think we know where to go next, unless you guys have somewhere else in mind?"

"A bed," Klein answered back with a cheeky smile.

"Obviously. We're not leaving tonight," he rolled his eyes. "But really, do any of you want to go anywhere else before we go do the quest?"

"Oh, actually, I thought of finding new armour for me. And I'd like it if we could get me a new katana," the samurai spoke once more.

"And me as well. My rapier is beginning to wear out," Asuna shifted slightly in her place, feeding herself the scrumptious piece of meat.

"Okay then. We'll move three weeks from now for the guild quest, and two weeks later for equipment. We'll take the time to prep first then," he nodded. "Anything else?" Receiving no other responses, he smiled. "Okay then. We've got our plans."

"Actually," all heads turned towards Sachi, who was fidgeting in her spot. "Would you… would you mind if I came along with you?"

"Huh? Wait, Sachi, you want to go with Nier?" Keita repeated, unable to believe this. It was surprising to his ears.

"Well, yes. If anything, maybe I could help him out in anything," she answered, before her lips curved into a soft frown. "I mean… I know that I'm not all that good in a fight, but at the very least, I'd like to be able to help them out, even if a little bit."

There was just… something about the leader of this little group that made her trust him. Unlike other snobbish big-shots who wanted nothing more than acknowledgement, this boy prioritised the welfare of those around him.

Maybe she could trust him? If the others were placing their faith in him, to the point where they trusted them with even their lives, then what should she be afraid of?

"So, will you allow me to go with you? I promise not to hold you back," she spoke, somewhat concerned tone adopted.

"No," he answered right after, her eyes growing wide in return.

Understandable, he thought. She clearly wanted to join him, and turning down her invitation without a second thought, which, to be honest, he's thought about in this short time since he's been given the offer, is pretty unexpected.

But of course, he had a reason for it. And as such, he made a move to clarify before she'd get offended.

"Sachi, you're currently in a complete guild. Coming with us requires that you and your guild part ways temporarily," he explained. "Of course, your status will remain as a member of the «Moonlit Black Cats», but you shouldn't be asking me. Ask your leader."

"O-Oh," she gasped in understanding, turning to look at Keita.

"I actually don't mind. All I request is that you take care of Sachi for me, Nier. You already know how she is in battle, she'll need all the protection she could get," the brunette grinned, earning a pout from his friend.

"Hey! I can defend myself just fine, thank you very much!" She huffed, looking away as she crossed her arms.

"Don't worry, Keita. I'm sure everything will go just fine," he reassured the brown-outfitted lad. "Each of us looks out for each other, so I'll make sure that she comes back alive."

Not that he would have it any other way.

"Okay then! Sachi, if you're still insistent on following Nier, then you have my permission all the same," he nodded.

"Right!" She nodded, looking back to the boy, of whom looked amused at what he was seeing. "I hope that you would take care of me, Nier!"

"You have my word," he nodded, grin grew wider.

* * *

Two Weeks Later—Floor 5: Karluin

It was a town with a medieval castle look, that feeling only more stronger due to the many ruins as southern end of the floor. Nier noticed that, while most of the town is left without a resident, many players and NPC's lived in the centre, using leather and canvas tents as shelter.

It made sense, he thought. It was in the very centre of the town, which meant that it was clearly farther away from the borders of the town, where the true danger was.

"Oh, I remember this place!" Sachi spoke as she looked around her, the memory of cobble and mossy bricks filling her mind. "This place looks really nice at night, especially if you look down at it from a high tower!"

"Really? I'll take your word for it then," he whistled back, already liking what he was seeing just from here. "So then, guys, we're here today to get ourselves new equipment. If you're good to go, let's regroup back here."

The rest nodded back, parting ways to check around the market. They would return here once everything was done. Only the bluenette remained with the boy.

She looked around at the city a bit more, remembering a few more details about it.

One, there was a ruined old castle that had various secret passageways on the east end of Karluin. She and her guild had ventured into the castle a few times before, and she remembered that, while the castle itself was considered to be part of town, the basement fell outside the town boundary. meaning monsters spawned there.

Two, there was the large, crumbling ruin north from the town, somewhere around fifty metres away from the Teleport Gate plaza. Were one to go to the ruins, they would be able to take a staircase down into the catacombs underneath the city. That was definitely something to look out for.

Although, she would hope not to go. Catacombs were like graveyards, and she was afraid of ghosts.

She noticed Nier doing something. Looking at him, she realised that he was sending a sort of message to the group. Upon sending it, he looked at her.

"I told them that we're going out to a restaurant. We'll regroup there," he explained briefly, walking away. She followed after him in a jiffy.

"Really?" He nodded at her question. "Well, okay. But do you know where it is?"

"Should be… somewhere around the eastern side," he spoke, pointing at where the crowd were flowing towards. "Come on."

She quickly paced after him, wading through the multitude of players and NPC's. Strange, she thought. Last she remembered, there weren't this much people in Karluin when last she came here. There must be something that caught everyone's attention or something.

As she was busy thinking about stuff, Nier was making sure to remain close to the girl, in case she would get lost. If it did happen, he wouldn't be too surprised. So many people.

'And she's so deep in thoughts that she may as well hit a light pole,' he chuckled in his mind, making sure not to trip and fall.

At first, he thought that he may have taken the wrong path, but sooner than later, the smell of charred meat and fresh meals wafted in the air. It was so strong, in fact, that the number of people around the area were just growing denser.

And reaching the front of the restaurant, all hopes of eating was quickly cut off at the sight before him. Never did he think that he'd complain about there being too many people.

"Okay, we're definitely not going to eat here," he sighed, brushing his hands through his mismatching-coloured hair.

"What? Then where are we going to go eat then? I doubt that the others will be fine with this," the girl mused, leaning against the brick wall behind her.

"Nngh… We'll just have to go camping outside of the city's bounds, I suppose," he groaned, disappointed. "Listen, Sachi. The others are gonna' be here soon. Tell them to go leave for the Teleport Gata Plaza. We'll meet there."

"Wait, where are you going to go then?" Her tone shifted to worry, which made sense, he supposed. Who wouldn't be worried about their friend going somewhere on their own?

"I'm going hunting. Don't worry, it'll be quick and easy, so just hang tight," he brushed off her worry with a smile, turning on his heels and breaking into a run. He waved his hand behind his head. "Don't forget!"

"W-Wait! Nier!" She called out to him, but he was long gone by then. Sighing, she leaned back against the wall. "Well, I suppose I could wait…"

* * *

An Hour Later

Camping was something Sachi remembered doing back in her school days. It was fun, really, but she wondered where the line for 'absurdly too much' could be drawn.

Seriously, who in the world created camping?! She remembered herself to be the one who chose the short stick, constantly attacked by leeches, mosquitoes, and even once, she fell in a pit!

Needless to say, that experience was not well enjoyed. And it was bad enough with her friends laughing at her.

But with Nier, it seemed that things went well.

In the half-hour time duration that he had used to go hunt for some game, he actually got more than what she thought necessary. Enough leather to make tents, a lot of meat for consumption, and even then, he's actually managed to find fish, just in case. Was there a river close by?

Klein wasn't all that surprised, really, saying that his friend was just that amazing. Asuna and Yuna immediately joined in to help, wanting to go eat quickly.

The rapier-wielder was assigned cooking duty, since she was the one who had the highest cooking level out of everyone. And she was proud of it, being the only one out of the whole group to be able to cook, even though this was just a game.

Roast beef with a side of an assortment of vegetables and herbs, as well as fresh river water. While Asuna recognised some of the herbs on hand, they were incredibly hard to find, so credit to the picker.

Although, it would be more accurate to say that it had appeared in his inventory by his mental command.

'Hacking wins yet again,' he proudly smirked, looking the opposite way from the group so to hide it.

Seriously though, how else was he able to get all the stuff? The river, though, was a real thing, so he got the water from there. The fish weren't all that hard to catch, so he only spawned vegetables, leather and meat into his inventory.

After pitching the tents, one for each person, Asuna had completed the dishes, serving a handmade plate—by Nier, entirely out of stone—to the group, with one for herself.

"Itadakimasu!" They spoke at the same time, digging into the freshly cooked meat. Safe to say, it tasted amazing. As expected of Asuna.

While they were going to eat the fish as well, Nier decided that they'd save it for later. Who knows when they would be required to camp outside like this again.

"Hey Klein, did you get a new katana?" The monochromatic-haired boy asked, letting the meat remain in his mouth. Hot, yes, but not that it'd burn his tongue.

"Yup! I found it in the market. The shopkeeper said that it was used by a samurai before me, and that the guy was really strong too, and now, I am its wielder!" He brought out his katana, and daresay it looked well-made.

A slick silver, finely shaped with a black hilt wrapped in cloth. There were strange engravings on the blade's surface, and with closer inspection Nier identified it as hieroglyph all the way from ancient Egypt.

"Hmm… ' _He who walks the path of Bushido, the one who rivals pharaohs_ '," he decrypted the short message, finding it to be quite poetic. Rather sweet-sounding.

"Whoa, you know what it means? Dang, you're good," the samurai returned the sword to its sheathe, visibly taken aback at the boy's ability.

"Yeah. I studied it a year ago. I was also practicing on Chinese, Thai, and was practising my drawing skills during the time," he recounted nonchalantly, not noticing the shocked looks from the others until his gaze landed upon them once more. "What?"

"Dude, you say you've been learning three languages in a year, and finished it?!" The man grabbed his friend's shoulders.

"Yes. Only because I was interested in learning the language. If I didn't want to, it would have taken me two years at most," he shrugged, the grip on his shoulders loosening.

"Damn, I didn't think you'd be a super genius or something," he gasped back arms falling to his sides.

"Indeed. Able to finish learning three languages in a span of a year is something that deserves respect. Not many could accomplish that sort of feat, Nier, so give yourself a bit of credit," Asuna offered a smile, just as amazed as the others.

And Sachi… She couldn't understand how such a person existed. So skilled, unlike her. He was perfect, in every sense there was. And it just reminded her that, maybe…

'No… I'll never reach his level,' she frowned, averting her gaze from him.

"Well, you're definitely going to be the best no matter what. Not like we'd be able to do things like you anyways," Yuna giggled, cut off by his narrowed stare.

"Don't say that," he shook his head, his black-white hair swooshing to the left and right as he did. "We don't know that."

"But it's true, Nier! Who else in the world can do such a thing such as yourself?" She challenged him.

Oh, she was on.

"Trevor Noah of South Africa who can speak English, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, and German. An Asian man, Shoichi Funaki who is fluent in Japanese, English, French, German, Portugese and Spanish. Andrew Divoff from America who can speak English, Spanish, Italian, French, Catalan, Russian, German, and Portuguese. And lastly, Roy Hodgson from England, fluent in English, Norwegian, Swedish, German and Italian, as well as some Danish, French and Finnish," he finished with a smirk. "Don't get me wrong, there's a lot more polyglots in the world, but these are the only ones I could remember."

"Whoa, that's a lot. You sure you didn't just memorise their names from the wiki?" Klein sweat-dropped.

"You're right about that. I was curious as to how many polyglots there are, and I was amazed to find about more than thirty people that can do so," he nodded, remembering that to be his reason to learn multiple languages.

It helped. It helped him to communicate with more people around the world, and understanding others' cultures much easily. Plus, ability to read stories and or fan fiction in other languages. Bonus!

"So let me tell you something. It's not impossible, no matter how hard it may be. Just keep pushing through, and you'll get there," he smiled back, not noticing the impact of his words on a friend of his.

And Sachi knew just why she had come along with him. He was just someone that could sprout hope in one's heart, no matter how grim the situation.

A beacon of light, as his real name would entail. Not that anyone knew yet.

* * *

That Night

Who would have thought that there were «Drunk Apes» around.

While the team came out unscathed, thanks to Nier's archery skills, one of their tents didn't really make it out alive. The boy himself was ready to spend the night outside, but by how cold it was, Sachi was quick to deny him of the chance, forcing him to sleep in with her.

His best friend watching from the side, he could very well see the jealous looks on the other girls' faces. Damn, the boy was lucky.

Everyone fell asleep relatively easily. Heck, Nier slept like a log the moment his head collided with his pillow. And yet, the person beside him couldn't help but remain wide awake, face flushed.

'Why did I ask him to sleep with me..!' Sachi thought, trying to focus on something else, but her mind always returned to the presence against her back, the warmth so pleasant, yet so nerve-wracking.

It would have made things more easier if she just let him go with Klein, but no! She just had to call him over to her tent.

Sighing, thinking that she was thinking this too much, unlike the boy who was enjoying his slumber, she decided to just try to fall asleep.

Screwing her eyes shut, she allowed herself to try to fall asleep. Counting sheep didn't work, thinking of the stars didn't either, and just thinking about her life before this game was not helpful.

No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts always returned to the boy behind her. His peaceful snoring, soft as music, and the way he would shift around in his sleep a bit, his hand sometimes brushing against hers—she would retract hers away from his every time—and the air in the room just felt tight.

What could she do? What could she do? What could she—

"Can't sleep, is it?" Nier's voice broke the silence, a yelp being his response.

"N-Nier?" She blinked, her back still against his. Oh, why didn't she just go to sleep! "I-I'm sorry…"

"Nah, this is my fault. Sure, we didn't die, but I should've taken into account of my tent, and any of yours, getting destroyed in the process. So yeah," he chuckled. She could feel him moving, prompting her to look past her shoulder.

And her eyes stared into his black ones. Blood rushing to her face, she averted her gaze away from him once again.

"In any case, if you'd like, I can leave, if you'd be able to get a good night's rest," he spoke before she could say anything, slowly rising up, until her hand gripped his own, forcing him down. "…I can leave, really. I'll go get some more leather and make myself another tent. It won't take long."

"I don't want that…" She shook her head, biting her bottom lip. This was so hard. Just to let him go. Why couldn't she just do that? "…Can I speak with you about something..?"

"Yeah, okay," he nodded, settling down once more. This time, however, he lied on his back, fixing his gaze onto the ceiling. "So, what's up? Anything troubling you?"

He was so easy to talk to. And no doubt, he wasn't going to be such a tease in such a serious situation. Not like the others of whom she's spoke to before this. Even her friends didn't really treat her seriously.

She needed someone to talk to, and she needed an appropriate talking-to.

Staring up into the ceiling, she willed herself to calm down, trying to get her panic in control. This was her chance, and she was not going to freak out.

"…I'm scared," she spoke easily, a frown beginning to form. That was the first step. Now onto the next one. "I'm scared…"

"Afraid of what though? There's a lot of things to be afraid of. You'll need to narrow it to something," he got straight to the point, not understanding her.

"I'm afraid of dying, to be honest," she sighed. "I mean… When I came here, I was expecting to just play a fun game with my friends. Not betting my life on the line as well."

"Understandable. The other thousands of players besides us thought of that way, until Kayaba decided to pull the rug from under our feet," his eyes narrowed, boring a hole into the leather if glares could burn. "So you're afraid of dying. But that makes sense. Everyone here is afraid of dying too."

"But you're not though," and this time, she turned to her right, staring at him. He tilted his head slightly to the side to gaze into her pretty blue eyes. "You're so brave… Even in the worst situations, just as when we met before, you never break under the pressure. I wish… I wish I was like you…"

At her response, he remained silent, trying to find the words to use here. Clearly, she was baring her soul to him, and he needed to take her properly. Any other way, and he'd risk her trust.

What was he afraid of though..? That question had him wondering.

"I think you're wrong about something. I'm actually afraid of dying too," he would have thought that it something that he was admitting, and yet, he couldn't help but feel as if he was lying when he said that. "I mean, it's natural. No one could just stare death in the eyes and walk out calmly."

Something that he himself had done.

When Kayaba Akihiko appeared before the players, announcing his game to be a death trap, the players were screaming, falling to their knees in fear. And yet, all he could think of, was what he would do after that.

So if that didn't shake him, what could?

"I think… The only reason I don't look afraid, is because I'm already thinking of a way to overcome that," he scratched his head, trying to sound make his words simple. "I mean… Death is coming to us, but we have the power to stop it. So yeah, I'm always thinking on how to do that."

"Wow…" She gasped, the way her lips were parted slowly turning into a smile. "As expected of you. God knows what fazes you."

"Death," he wasn't too sure about that, but decided that it was the best response. "I still have tons of things to do back home, and dying here means I wouldn't get to do those things."

Turning once more, he looked directly at her, prompting her to do the same. Knowing that she'd just freak out due to the close proximity, he gained a bit of distance away from her, giving her her own space.

And yet, why did she frown? That didn't make sense whatsoever.

"I don't want to see you dying too, you know? Scares me whenever I think about it," he smiled, but a minute of allowing the words to click in his mind, his eyes widened.

"…Nier?" She blinked, looking at him, trying to get him to talk. And yet, his face was beginning to lose its colour, as if he had just seen death.

That… that was it. The answer to his previous question.

He wasn't afraid of death, per se. He was afraid of the consequences of death. Losing his life was fine. He would lose it one way or another. It was losing the chance to be with his loved ones that scared him.

Thinking on that statement, he realised now that it does scare him. He wouldn't get to see his parents anymore. To see them smile at him as always, and praise him for the things to do. He would miss it so much. Not that he didn't miss them already. Every night, they were in his head, after all.

And then, what of his friends? If he died, he wouldn't get to see them anymore. And the same is true vice versa. They wouldn't get the chance to return to their own families, and he wouldn't be able to fight by their sides anymore.

So that answered something for him. He was someone who feared losing those close to him.

It was an accomplishment that scared him, really. More so than anything else. Still, an accomplishment.

"Nier, are you alright?" She was looking worried now, gently shaking him by his hands.

"H-Huh?" He blinked, pulled out of his thoughts. "Oh, shoot. Sorry. I was thinking about something."

"About what though? Usually, whenever I see you thinking of something, you never make a face like that," she drew a frowning gesture on her own lips.

"Aah… Well, sorry. I guess I know what I'm really afraid of now," he chuckled nervously, but the frightful look on his face was genuine.

"Huh? But didn't you say that you're afraid of death?" Sachi remembered. He had just said a moment ago.

"N-No. I lied about that part," he sighed, somewhat guilty about that. "No, rather… I think, what I'm really scared of, is losing the chance to be with you guys again."

"O-Oh?" She was completely taken aback by his answer.

"I mean, dying is bad, yeah… I said that I wouldn't get to do things that I want to, but the more accurate reason, is… I wouldn't be able to see my parents again, and I wouldn't be able to see the rest of you anymore," this time, it was his turn to bare his soul. "That's why I've been fighting so hard. So that I don't lose you, because I don't want to be alone, I guess…"

Wow. Being honest about things as deep as this was really hard. He had seen people on shows doing it so easily, but now, he knows just how difficult it is firsthand.

It relates to what his parents had said about him. While he was a genius in the mind, his heart still didn't understand as much as the former did.

He didn't know love, describing it as a phase. He didn't truly understand his own emotions, sometimes locking it away. He didn't even know why he should cry, not that he had ever once did in his life.

So his journey throughout «Sword Art Online» would be not him showing his parents that he could do something, but rather, it was his journey to maturity.

'Wow… I played myself into their genius orchestrations… To be expected of the man and woman who birthed me into the world,' he chuckled suddenly, earning a curious look from his friend.

On the other side of this world of data, in his home, said parents were busy conversing about something serious. Of whether they should reveal to him his sister when he returns.

Yes. That was just how confident they were in him. _When_ he returns.

Returning to the scene under the starry night, Nier let out a sigh of relief, feeling himself slightly relieved now. That weight lifted off of his shoulders quicker than he had thought possible. And Sachi felt calmer now, his presence giving her strength.

"Hey Nier?" The girl called, earning her friend's attention.

"Yeah?" He looked back at her, noticing the soft smile she had on her.

"I promise you. None of us are going anywhere. We'll continue to stick by your side, no matter what," she smiled.

Her words resonated in his soul, and he found himself smiling back.

"Also, thank you…" She whispered, the sounds of the crickets' chirps outside of their tent and the sleeping macaws adding a bit of tunes to the peaceful silence. "And… please sleep with me? I'd really like that…"

"Mmm… Fine. If you're alright with it, who am I to argue?" He chuckled in amusement, wanting to turn on his right arm, until she suddenly caught his left arm, pulling it to her body, clinging onto it for dear life. "Huh?"

"Sorry… But this feels really nice…" She told him, her smile growing slightly. "If it's not comfortable…"

"Nah, it's cool," he shrugged, resting on his back. Repositioning his head on his pillow, he allowed a breath of relief to be released, closing his eyes.

The soft, rhythmic breathing of hers, accompanied with her soft breathings, were music to his ears. It was strange. He had tried to comfort her, only for him to be the one comforted. Strange how things turned out.

Well, things turned out well in the end.

And once again, Nur Fate, with the name of Nier in the world of «Sword Art Online», fell asleep once more, happy. And with him, Sachi followed suite, with a clearer mind, and her adoration for this boy only stronger than ever.

That night was a reminder for just why she joined him. And really, she didn't regret that decision at all.

* * *

A week later—Floor 3: Zumfut

Zumfut was a town unlike any other, and that was saying a lot.

The group of four had been quite used to seeing buildings of cobble and bricks, but here, there weren't any buildings. In fact, Zumfut was a town composed solely of three large trees, which Nier recognised to be baobabs, primitive to Madagascar, Africa, Saudi Arabia and the wildlands of Australia.

Walls of thick logs encased the town's area, with a large cast-iron gate of its own. The trees themselves were emptied out so to function as the buildings, with NPC's living in there.

Nier was busy looking around him, with his blue-haired friend, now at peace with her previous inner struggles, just walking side by side with him, feeling ecstatic.

And of course, as usual, Klein was stuck with looking at the other girls with those jealous looks of theirs, something he himself could understand very well.

His best friend was a genius, possessed such a high amount of charisma that attracted girls from all corners to him, and he was someone who looked out for others. A natural morale-booster, even though he may be somewhat blunt at times.

Of course, the boy himself was oblivious to the effects he had on others, despite being such a smart kid. Lucky bastard he was.

Nier, on the other hand, had approached them in a way that he deemed to be suitable between good friends. That, his father and mother would someday know in the far future, was the consequences of not raising them in the matters of the heart and soul, and just the mind.

He was trying to reach out to them, to help them. But who would've thought that he'd get their attention? And in a romantic fashion no less.

"So Sachi, where do we go to initiate the quest?" He asked his friend, who stood on his right. They _could_ try asking the people around here, but that would just be wasting time. Why do so when you can just get straight to the point?

"Well, last I remembered, we had to speak to this elf NPC," she answered, a finger on her bottom lip as she recalled the events a few weeks ago. "We told him that we wanted to form a guild, and he said that he wanted us to fight against the treant boss."

"Truly? Well, I suppose that does make sense. This floor has a quest related to them. Something about an elf war or sorts," he scratched his head, not remembering much. "In any case, where do we find him?"

"Not sure. He moves from here to there constantly, but he does remain on this floor, that much doesn't change," her response elicited a curious hum from the boy.

"Well, looks like we're going to have to split up," he huffed, calling to the rest of the group. They arrived soon enough, wondering what was going to happen. "Alright guys. With info from Sachi here, we're supposed to look for an elf NPC around here. He's not going to stay in one spot for long, so we'll need to split up. Cover grounds and find him. And, since we might have to leave the town's areas, just get yourself a partner."

"But Nier, there's the five of us here," Yuna pointed out. And true to her words, there were exactly five of them. Five by two means two and a half. What do you think they are? Aliens?

"So the four of you split up into two, and I'll go on my own," he shrugged, the thought sounding fine enough.

"You sure? We could get in trouble, and we won't be there to save you, you know," Klein frowned for a moment, broken by his younger friend's chuckle.

"You've seen firsthand at what I've been capable of. If anything does happen, I'm not going to go down that easily. Relax, I'll be fine," he waved off the man's concerns easily, the latter allowing a snicker to escape his lips.

"Yeah, I suppose so," he nodded.

"Okay then. Groups. Klein, you're with Asuna. Sachi, go with Yuna. Make sure to look everywhere possible. In the meantime, I'll do my own end of the searching as well," he looked at the sky. "Everyone, when you get something, send a message to the party. Group up at whomever finds the person."

"Right," they all nodded back, breaking off to find the elf.

"Well then, elf, where are you?" A simple game of seek, even though the NPC clearly wasn't trying to hide. Oh well, should be fun.

* * *

An Hour Later

*Twak!* *Gkhhaa…*

"Seriously, «Wild Apes» are so annoying..." He sighed, crouching to avoid the swing of the beast's gourd, letting loose two arrows at the back of the head, before it finally dropped dead, dematerialising. "My sixteenth kill yet. Wasn't too bad."

Not too bad, considering that he had basically activated «Null: Damage», the skill that negated damage of every affinity. To put it simply, he became a living wall.

Well, a very fast, and very deadly wall, per se.

Slinging his bow over his back once more, the quiver just beside it, he pulled out his sword that was clipped to his waist, in case anything had the guts to jump out from the bushes and attack him. They'd get a cut to the face.

With a mental command, he activated «Libra», trying to scan for the NPC's footprints. And lo and behold, there were footprints in the soft earth, brightened as the surroundings darkened. Very useful.

'Okay, this should be good,' he chuckled, following the trail. It did lead him into an ambush or two, but he came out unscathed. And even if he did get damaged, no one would be there to see him use «Cure», the skill that heals his HP by one thousand points every ten seconds. A true cheater he is.

But he didn't really care about that. Not when the person who created this game was cheating himself, and making everyone play 'Live or die'. Not cool.

Time passed as he remained hot on the trail, checking around him for anything that seemed out of place. So far, nothing's that different. The «Ragout Rabbit» that came out of nowhere gave him plenty of XP, so that was that.

The footprints took him from the town all the way to a waterfall, with a cave behind it. It seemed that the elf had taken refuge in the cave.

"Well then, just in case," he put away his sword, equipping his bow and notching an arrow onto it. He gave it a few pulls, before relaxing. "And if I miss," which was highly unlikely. "I could just smash his face face in."

Deactivating his scanning ability, he entered the cave, posture still relaxed. There was a tunnel that travelled straight, with light at the end of it. Looking to his right, there seemed to have been an unlit torch, with a path going downwards.

Darkness wasn't something he was afraid of, thankfully, not even as a kid. In fact, he liked it. He could do whatever he wanted, and no one would see him do it.

Pretty cool, if you thought about it.

"Well, here I go," he sighed, going down the steps. It wasn't exactly a staircase, but the way the rocks were chiselled so to act like one gave it the points. And soon enough, he came upon a little space, and in the centre of the space… "You must be the elf of whom we can go to to register our guilds, right?"

There was no movements, no sounds, nothing. While Nier had thought of him to be asleep, that thought was quickly dismissed when the sitting elf slowly raised his head, emerald eyes staring into the human's black ones.

"…And you are?" He spoke with a gruff tone, surprising for someone who looked to be in his mid-twenties.

"Nier. A human," he answered. "I came here to register myself a guild, just as the people before me have."

"Truly? You don't look all that strong," he scoffed, looking blasé. "I've seen humans come and go, demanding that they'd be given the chance to form guilds of their own, yet they return, failing more and more. The first batches were fine, the next were defeated."

"But there are those that have succeeded, and I know that I will be one of those people," the lad's eyes narrowed onto the man, not entirely in the mood for this verbal game. "So tell me what to do, and I will be on my way. Is that a sound deal?"

And with that came the silence. The silence. The dreaded silence.

Every time this happened, the boy would waste no time pondering on whether or not the elf would accept or reject his request. Instead, he would think up of ways to convince him once more, as many times as possible until he'd win.

A lot of things were a game.

'And a game is fun,' he added with a bright grin in his head, forming a slow smirk on his exteriors.

And soon enough, the victor was deemed to be Nier himself, indicated by how the NPC let out a breath of tire, face wrinkling up.

"Very well. I shall grant you the ability to form your guild. You need only venture past the mountains and search for «Nerius the Evil Treant». I must warn you, however. He is quite difficult," he warned the boy, who took the warning without so much of a look of worry.

"It's rather strange, to be honest. Every man before me has slain it countless times, yet why does it return?" He asked. Obviously a game mechanic designed by the game master of this death game, obviously, but he'd rather hear what the elf would have to say. Just for fun.

"His roots remain planted in the earth. That is the simple mistake each person has made. The roots are the heart, and they fail to completely destroy it, thus ensuring «Nerius's» resurrection," he answered. Oh? Well, that was interesting.

"Okay then. I suppose I know what to do now," he smiled, standing up. "Should I come back here when I'm done?"

"Indeed. And as proof, bring me a branch of the fallen creature. Only then will I bestow you the chance to form your guild," he nodded slowly, remaining serious-looking.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," the boy waved him off, leaving.

Once out of the cave, he sent a message to his group, calling them over. After a few minutes, everyone arrived.

"You found him?" Yuna asked, patting at her skirt to remove the leaves that remained stuck at her.

"Yeah. And the quest is on," he smiled, gesturing his thumb behind him. "The cave here should lead us to the quest. All we have to do is go straight, and we're good to go. But are all of you ready?"

"I think you guys should be fine. I mean, you're all so high-levelled. There's no way you'll lose against «Nerius»!" Sachi beamed with confidence.

"That's true… Although, I do have to say that it being the same level as the time you fought it is going to be unlikely," the boy retorted, leaning against the wall of the cave.

"What do you mean, Nier?" Asuna questioned, confusion apparent on her features. She had known never to judge her young friend's intellect, but it did make her want to know what he meant.

"During my conversations with the NPC that gives us the quest, he talked of how the players don't completely slay it, and as such, he's able to regenerate," he informed his party, all of whom looked surprise. "Think about it. Why does this quest revolve around «Nerius» all the time? Because he doesn't die."

"Well… Okay, but that doesn't have anything to do with «Nerius» being stronger," Yuna pointed out everyone else's concerns.

"I wish I could say that it's simple biology logic, but I'm still not adept in it," he chuckled in embarrassment. Although, if his parents were here, they'd obviously say otherwise. "But the elf did mention an interesting piece of information, saying that the number of players that lost increased."

"Hmm… Well, I guess we can just hope that it wouldn't be too hard," the songstress offered, hoping that this wouldn't be too hard.

And with that thought in their minds, the group of party travelled down the cave path, noticing the dampness on the walls beginning to increase. There weren't any large stalagmites to be seen—much to Nier's disappointment. He would have loved to see that with his own eyes, even if in a game—but the presence of gems in the rocks did make itself seem clear.

Although, if he could harvest these things, which was impossible, due to it being part of the world's data. It was… admittedly hard to explain, but if compared to a simple RPG video game, it would make sense.

Any typical RPG's that didn't grant their players the ability to mine or chop trees, that meant that the mountains or trees were unbreakable objects as they were part of the game.

So yeah, compared to right now, this was it.

Err, anyways…

After some time, they finally arrived at the end of the tunnel, finding themselves to be in an opening. There was a spring that had bright minerals at the bottom of it, and a large tree in the centre, with apple fruits adorning its green crown.

Looking around them, there was no sign of the boss.

But we do know who we're talking about, right? Four regular players, and one sole smart ass.

Although the boy hasn't really cursed at all, because his mother had raised him to never do such, so I'll just switch that to smart guy.

And of course, it would make sense why he had his bow pulled out, eyes focused solely on the tree. Klein looked at him, then back to the tree, then back at his friend.

"Dude, what are you doing?" He asked, so not getting the bigger picture.

"Remind me what we are fighting, Klein," the lad sighed, his friend thinking on it right away.

"Well, our boss is «Nerius the Evil Treant»," he answered. And just a moment later, the realisation finally clicked in him, if his wide eyes were anything to go by. "Ohh!"

"There you go," he smirked back, hitching an arrow to the bowstring and aiming at the tree. "Everyone! Prepare to engage the enemy!"

 ***PMD Gates to Infinity—Legendary Boss Battle (Play Song)***

Right on cue, the creature, having concealed its identity as just a tree, rattled in place. And before soon, a mouth drew itself on its features, yellow bright eyes staring down on the smaller beings. The branches snapped away from each other, forming large claw-like limbs.

"Alright, guys! We're taking two-by-two roles! Asuna, you're with me! Klein, pair up with Sachi!" Nier ordered, letting loose an arrow, watching it snap against the tree's surface. "Enact a 'Misdirection' tactic! Yuna, as always!"

"Of course!" The songstress nodded, gaining a bit of distance away from the battlefield.

"W-Wait! What's going on? What do you mean 'Misdirection'?" Sachi, being the clueless one here, asked in frantic worry.

"Don't worry! It just means that you're the one who's attacking the thing! I'll be your shield," the samurai reassured the girl, who only screamed in response.

"Me?! Attack _that_?!" She gestured at the treant, now Lvl 40. Just as the elf had said, Nier noted. "No way! Last time, it was only half of that!"

"It's fine, really. Klein's gonna' keep you safe," the lad reassured her, just in time to block «Nerius's» branch, switching with Asuna, watching as she deal a four-hit combo onto it. "That's what «Sentinels» need to do, after all."

"Yeah, what he said!" The samurai nodded, standing just beside her, not moving a place. "Well? Let's go! And don't worry, I'll block all his attacks, no matter what!"

Hardly reassuring from the man beside her, but the boy's words… She could trust him. And if he says so, then she will.

"Okay…" The bluenette pulled air through her nostrils, putting on a brave front. "Let's go!"

And then, the two rushed forth, ready to attack its side. The treant noticed the two of them approaching them, prompting it to strike at them with its claw. And yet, Klein had blocked it easily, knocking it back. And at the exact same time that Sachi struck it with her spear, so too did Asuna thrust her rapier forwards, striking hard at the wood.

*Rhhah!*

The two pairs switched again and again, with the two males acting as the males, whereas the girls were the ones that did the work, slowly chipping at its health. Though Sachi was nowhere on the others' levels, she liked to think that she was doing fine.

That's all that was important.

"Everyone, back away! Something's happening!" Their leader shouted at everyone, gaining their attention.

Looking at where the treant stood, its leaves started to shake. And soon enough, the apples was shot everywhere, bursting into grey spores.

It would have been considered normal, until the boy realised what the spores were.

"Do not inhale the spores! They have a paralysing effect!" He warned them, swapping his sword for his bow now, pulling back and aiming at the creature. With one strong tug, he later released it, watching the arrow whizzed through the air and striking right between the eyes.

*Ghkaka!*

"Everyone, do not enact any strategy. Just stay away," he huffed, letting loose a volley of arrows at the boss. "Klein, remain protecting the girls, just in case."

"You got it!" He nodded, raising his katana in a defensive stance.

With that said, he kept his barrage of arrows fixed on the boss, not willing to just let up. But then, each boss had a phase. Just like how «Illfang the Kobold Lord» switched to his nodachi after his health was in the last bar, so too would «Nerius» do the same.

And just as his thoughts came to a stop, the creature's limb contorted into a boneless whip, before it flew towards them.

"Duck!" He yelled.

*Bam!*

"Shoot…" Klein blinked, staring at the boss. Clearly, it was going to do whatever it could to stop them. "Nier, be careful!"

"Don't worry! Resume 'Misdirection' tactic now!" He yelled, rushing forth.

The rest joined after him, Yuna playing the strings and chanting a few notes, her melodious tone reaching their ears and giving them a physical strength and defense boost, wrapping them with blue and red light.

The lad swiped his sword at the treant's claw, parrying it. Asuna and Sachi took it as their cue to strike the beast, more of its health chipped away. The last bar, and it was now down to half of it.

"A bit more, ladies! Come on!" Klein yelled, stabbing the katana into the claw that rushed at him, pulling out and knocking it aside.

"True that. Everyone, switch to 'Double Trouble'! Go all out!" And his response was a nod. It's time to put an end to this. "HrghhaAA!"

With an almost inhuman growl, the boy broke into a run towards the tree-like boss, his sword already ready to cut it down. And with a leap, he stabbed it into the beast's abdomen, swiftly pulling it out and dealing a cross strike at it, followed up with Klein and Asuna lunging at it with their weapons.

Sachi remained a distance away, still somewhat afraid. Oh well, he supposed that he could forgive her. She wasn't on the level to match this thing, and just her trying her best against it earlier was something that was good.

Klein brought up his blade, shoved to the side by the creature's slam. It raised its limb, ready to strike down on the strawberry-blonde, until the monochromatic-haired boy appeared out of nowhere, blocking its arm.

*Ching!*

"Asuna! Finish it!" He yelled, parrying it to the side.

"Hai!" She nodded, running towards the creature. Close enough, she raised her rapier, powering it up. And with one final shout, she struck it!

*Shing shing cha!* *Ghkhga..!*

 ***PMD Gates to Infinity—Legendary Boss Battle (End Song)***

The creature broke away into crystals and light, its woody body disappearing into the light. What replaced it was the message each time a boss was defeated, signifying the end of that.

And with that done, Nier fell to the ground, head meeting the grass in an instance.

"Whoo…" He let out a breath of relief, thankful that that was over with. It wasn't entirely tiring, but hey, who cares? "That's over…"

"Indeed it is," that familiar voice popping out of nowhere elicited a yelp from the girls, who stared at the being. Those pointy ears were an immediate giveaway.

"Yeah… But the roots aren't destroyed," he chuckled, sitting up.

"That, you are right," he nodded. Everyone wondered at what he meant, looking back to where «Nerius» stood, noticing the large stump. "It would return once more, that is for sure. And stronger than ever."

"And how do we get rid of it?" The boy asked in stead of his group. "Unless you have fire on your hands right now, we could always just pull it out."

"Which will be a very trying task," he retorted, earning a sigh from the group. "But it seems that you haven't forgotten it at all. Most other groups would bat their eyes away from the stump, not caring in the slightest."

"Well, based on what you've said, I've no doubt that the next time the treant comes back, it's definitely going to be stronger than ever. And, instead of being the very thing that the humans will need to kill to form their guild, they're going to be dead," that sarcastic remark held nothing but bare truth, and the elf nodded.

"Indeed. As such, I shall help you," opening his hand, there seemed to be a bottle of sorts. "Toss this at the stump, and it shall be set ablaze."

"Hmm… Fine, if you say so," he rolled his eyes, deciding that this was for the better. "Klein, if you would."

Nodding, the samurai put away his weapon, taking the red bottle from the elf's hand. A simple countdown, and he flung it at the stump, hearing it shatter and red beginning to enwrap the remains of the boss, smoke wafting in the air as the heat increased.

And soon enough, the once-was dignified brown turned into charred black, breaking down. And that was all there was. Dark ash in the middle of the blades of grass.

"Hhaa… That's done!" The lad exhaled, groaning as he fell back once more. Leaving one eye open, he stared at the elf. "Well, can we form our guild now?"

"Indeed. Though I did intervene in this last one, you have proven yourselves worthy. Truly, you deserve to have your own guild," he nodded, features finally softening. He looked much younger now. "As such, I would like to know the name of your guild."

"Name of our guild? Huh… What will it be…" The boy thought as he remained lying down, staring into the sky.

And while his friends were busy thinking up names as well, a certain bluenette was left wondering as to what to do now. She knew that this would be the last time they'd ever cross paths, and she for one knew that she didn't want this.

She wanted to remain by his side, for as long as possible…

Thinking back now, the only pillar that gave her true strength was the very mismatching-haired boy, who had lead them through thick and thin. The weeks with him and his friends had been such an eye-opener for her.

Now, she no longer had to walk with her tail in between her legs. In fact, she could just get rid of that metaphorical tail now. Her head held high, no longer would she need to be afraid.

So, with all those thoughts done, she raised her head from whence she looked at the ground, and finally came to an answer.


	5. Chapter 4

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 4: I'll Find You, Nii'`

 _A common knowledge to those that have heard of the game «Sword Art Online» would immediately recognise the name «Blank», a guild formed by the top player of the game, Nur Fate, who went by the alias 'Nier' in-game._

 _The guild, while not entirely large, was known to be an extremely powerful guild in existence, composed of strong players. And lead by such a strong-willed individual, they made it through every obstacle._

 _It was no wonder Kayaba Akihiko came to respect the guild, most notably the boy himself._

* * *

Floor 22: Coral Village

A beautiful place, no doubt. That was the first thing that crossed Nier's mind when he and his newly formed guild, «Blank», arrived here through the teleport gates.

The floor was an entirely natural one, with a shimmering lake and rich amounts of forests here and there. The village nearby housed many good people, with one of them being an expert fisherman. Nishida, his name was, and Nier had the chance to learn under him for a short while.

When they got here, the boy had spent his coins to stay at an inn, just for a short while. They would continue once they were good to go.

And right now, the group were busy eating away at a diner, enjoying the scrumptious meals that they served here.

"Mmm! The fish here are so good!" Yuna commented as she touched her face, a soft blush on it as she enjoyed the soft texture of the meat in her mouth.

"You got that right! They must be fresh if it tastes this good!" Klein nodded, adding more to his plate before eating once more. The vegetables had been left untouched. He was more of a meat guy anyways. "And Nier, what'd you caught earlier?"

"Nothing much. Just a simple freshwater trout," he shrugged, putting a spoonful of soup into his mouth. 'And also…'

His eyes slowly dragged to the side, his face tilting only a bit. And there she was, sitting just besides Asuna, talking about miscellaneous things that had him wondering just what they were really talking about, but his mind still only registered her.

 _Sachi_ , their newest member.

He remembered the day when she had gone face-to-face with Keita, requesting that she'd join the boy and his guild. It was certainly something, since he had thought that she would remain with her friends.

* * *

Flashback—A Week Ago

 _"Please, allow me to join Nier's guild!" The girl basically screamed at her brown-haired friend, who had unconsciously taken a step back._

 _Keita and the others had been waiting for Nier and his group to arrive at Taft's teleport gate. And when they did arrive, this was the very first thing that occurred. Sachi running up to his face and saying all those stuff._

 _In fact, it was rather surprising, really. For her to act this way, which was really uncharacteristic of the girl. So much so that he almost mistook her for someone else, but the face, hair and voice clearly meant that this was the same Sachi._

 _"Err… Come again?" Nier himself was rather taken aback at her sudden request. Must have meant that she never brought it up to him before this then. "Sachi, you're already in the «Moonlit Black Cats». Wanting to join us means—"_

 _"I know… And that is what I'd like," she nodded, her friends behind her gasping in surprise. "Keita… I ask that you do not take offence from this. It's just that this is the chance for me to grow stronger once more, so I ask that you allow me to join him."_

 _The look in her eyes must have meant that she really wanted this. And he could tell that this wasn't just a last second thought. She had really thought hard about this, it seems._

* * *

So in the end, Keita had officially allowed the girl to leave the guild in favour of joining Nier's. And truly, she had been overjoyed with his permission to do so.

The boy, watching as his friends enjoy their own dishes, couldn't help but wonder just what he was going to do after this. Obviously, escalate the floors and defeat the hundredth level. Easy as that.

But of course, he wanted to enjoy the game as just that; a game. All these sights would soon be gone the moment they complete Kayaba's death game. Until then, he'd rather make sure that his friends would be able to enjoy their time in here.

Make as much memories as you can. As easy as counting to a hundred.

"Nier," the lad was pulled out of his reverie as he turned his head to the left, looking directly at Yuna. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure," he nodded, taking a cup of juice and drinking it, the sweetness of cherries and sour punch of grapes dancing on his tongue. He swallowed, speaking once more. "What's up?"

"Well, now that we're a guild, do you plan to make it like the other guilds?" She asked in curiosity. "Like «Aincrad Liberation Force»?"

Aah, that one. The largest guild up until now, formed by the guilds «Aincrad Liberation Squad» and «MMO Today» conjoining. Lead by a player named Thinker, it was the strongest guild so far, acting as the clearer guild that took on the floors' bosses.

And immediately, Nier shut down the idea.

"No," he shook his head, looking down at his soup. "I don't intend to add too many people in. Things would become complicated. I mean, the worst thing that could happen is corruption, and I am so not down for that."

"Corruption? Dude, we're not a political party, you know," Klein laughed, but the silence from the boy soon cut his laughter short.

"Internal strife will be something that can happen, and I don't intend for it to be so. If anything, I'd rather treat this as a personal party of sorts," he shrugged, drinking from his glass. Setting it down, he looked out of the diner, noticing the dark sky. "It's late. Finish up, everyone. We're hitting the hay after this."

"Right," they all nodded.

Standing up, the boy followed his friends out of the diner, a small part of him wondering what his parents were doing at this very moment.

* * *

Back in the real world, where times were much simpler, yet the great struggle of maintaining more than a thousand people alive through medical means remained there. And amongst those people, was Nur Fate.

Adam Fate, with his wife at his side, Layla Mohammad, now Layla Fate, had once thought that life was not worth living.

On the year 2005, they had gotten married. It was a happy beginning to a new chapter of their lives, one of which they were very much looking forward to. For a man from Japan, and his wife of Malaysian soil, they wanted to start a family.

And yet, things had started off relatively rough from there.

Three times. Three goddamned times that Layla had tried, tried, and tried. And she failed, failed, _failed_. These were the exact number of times that she and her husband had tried to get a child. And each and every time, hope would shimmer in their eyes and heart, only for it to quickly shatter in an instance, like glass against a wall.

She felt so weak, so useless then. That she had failed her husband to conceive a child, and that her status as a woman had been reduced to nothing more than a waste. Though her husband had been calm enough to reassure her, and that he would remain there by her side, loving her til' death do them apart, she still felt restless.

He would never admit it, but the times when she's asked for a moment alone, he knew that it was her hiding behind walls, taking the time to cry and mourn. He would wait for her then.

Three years passed since then. The woman had wanted to just leave. To spare her husband of all the wasted time and effort. But he wouldn't have it. He wanted to try, to keep on believing.

And once more, they tried. Once more, they decided to place their faith in Lord above. Once more, they would gamble all their hopes that this would succeed.

And on the fourth of April, she held a child in her arms.

Never before had such people come into the hospital, crying so much in joy and sorrow as a baby boy breathed, naked and cold. And even when he was wrapped in soft cloth, never did they let go of him. And when his eyes opened, not a single cry leaving his lips, but his parents did, smiling so hard and soft at the same time that everything before this had felt practically not on the same level as this.

Layla's success in medical science, before she chose to retire from it all, becoming a housewife. Adam's steady ascent up the stairs of the musical industry, previously a programmer and the like.

Time and time again had they beed offered the chance to work with bigger companies, but the two never really cared about that.

Looking back at it now, it would have been considered such a wondrous event, but this meant more to them than anything else. Finally, their prayers had been answered, and now existed a new family of three.

As such, Layla had wanted to name their new son after everything.

"Nur… A pretty name, no?" She chuckled as she slowly looked up into the eyes of her husband, who still had water at the corners.

"Yeah… It would make sense…" He nodded, wiping them away. "Meaning _light_."

He was their light, and they were ecstatic to have him with them now. He meant everything to them, and there was nothing that could make them happier than now.

As the years passed, man and woman raised their son to the best extent that they could, offering him just about everything that he asked for—not that he asked for it in the first place. He was a cute and shy boy, so they would need to do it themselves.

Then came his desire to learn more, stating that it would help them in the future. Such a statement brought tears to their eyes, and they did all they could to cultivate him in every lessons possible.

Music from his father, science with his mother, and everything else, like languages and drama. Basically, everything that they could possibly think of, because the boy was an incredibly intelligent one, as he was able to finish a subject as quick as he was to be given a book about it.

Then one day, Adam had given his son his phone, with a puzzle game on it.

And that spurred the child down the path to becoming a gamer. And when he was faced with a game that was designed to be impossible, he learned how to become a hacker.

At one time, Layla had thought on reasoning with her son so to take another branch, quickly dismissing that thought as quickly as it came to her. She and Adam both loved their son very much, and wanted him to be happy.

If this was the path he chose, then they will support him, through and through, no matter what.

And when «Sword Art Online» came out, they were fine with their son playing the game, something the boy himself wanted as well. And yet, who would have thought that it turned into a death game?

She wanted to scream, to curse, but… But if her husband had hopes in the boy, hope that he would make it out alive, then she will hold back her tears, and await the day her son returns to her.

Dear God, so help her. She will _not_ lose another child, just as the previous three before him have. Had they lived, he would have been the fourth of four siblings, with brothers and sisters there to love him as well.

But they're not here. So she will make sure to hope and pray that the light of their lives will continue to shine, stronger than ever, and return to them.

* * *

Two Days Later

With a child of their own, adoption was once more something that became absolutely nonexistent in their minds, as they found it unnecessary. One would adopt another should they be unable to conceive a child in the first place, but they finally have Nur.

But the situation was different with this one.

The girl, sitting at the edge of the bed, her bright little red orbs staring at the unconscious state of the monochromatic-haired boy, whose own hair had reached his back at this point. She sat there, silent as a puppet doll, unmoving.

The door to the room opened, with Adam and Layla Fate walking in.

"Ahh… Got here before us," the father smiled, taking a seat beside the silver-haired girl, patting her head. "How long have you been here?"

"Since last night," she answered, and though her gaze remained fixed on the boy, she couldn't help but notice the way her father sweat-drop at her response.

"Well… It's not that you're not allowed to visit your brother, but isn't it a bit too early to visit him in the middle of the night?" He scratched the back of his head with one hand, the other still remaining on hers.

"…Is Nii coming back?" She completely dodged his question. As expected.

"Yeah, he will," he nodded, the confidence in his words could be misplaced, but he wanted to believe. Believe that his son would return. "You just need to have some faith in him as well."

"Why did Nii go in the game?" She asked once more, lithe hands clasped together. She could only imagine what he's going through right now.

"Well… It's kinda' hard to explain, really," he hummed in thought, before returning to his daughter's question. "You see, your brother likes to play video games. As much as you do, if not more. And believe me when I say he's really good at it too."

"Really?" She finally looked up, a small sense of surprise and excitement in those eyes of hers.

"Yup. And he's really smart too. I can just imagine you and him fighting against each other in a game of either which, I doubt there'd be a real winner," he chuckled, treading his fingers through her hair.

"Dear, don't say that. None of us know of it," Layla stood beside the two, her hand on her husband's shoulder as she smiled gently at him. He returned the gesture with his own.

"Then…" Both heads turned to the soft voice below, her small thumbs twiddling with each other. "Can I play with Nii someday?"

This girl was indeed a gamer too, the father noted. She had been so talented at it since a long time ago, beating just about anyone at everything. No one stood a chance against this young super genius, no matter what.

And to hear that her brother was just like her, had her wondering what it would be like to challenge him.

This little thought was something that had the father chuckling to himself, his wife seemingly having the same idea, if the smile she aimed at him meant anything.

"Of course you can," he nodded, patting her.

"…Okay," she nodded back, taking her brother's hand and holding it with her two own.

* * *

Floor 25: Giltstein

Into the world of «Sword Art Online» once more, Nier and his guild were currently stocking up on restoratives and new weapons, their previous ones looking as if they've seen better days.

Klein finally looked like the shogun he always wanted to—err, samurai, that is—and Sachi had continued to place her faith in her spear. Asuna and Yuna remained true to their personal equipments, although the former finally started wearing red and white, suggested by the boy himself. And daresay, she looked great.

Nier, on the other hand, had made himself a new bow, and gotten himself a new blade. A white one with silver details and a brown guard. Arrows were surprisingly affordable around here, so he bought himself a few new ones in the process.

Floor twenty-five, as he remembered, was the previous location of the «Knights of Blood» headquarters. But when it grew too big, too powerful, they shifted to floor thirty-nine, before shifting once more to floor fifty-five. Now the strongest guild to exist, there was no doubt that they'd make quick work of the bosses than any other clearers.

For some time, Asuna had been pondering on whether to join the guild or not. She admitted that, while she had been offered the position more than a couple of times, she declined, stating her wish to remain in the «Blank».

After getting everything sorted out, the guild returned to the inn there was in town, deciding to just relax for the day.

"Well, at least the clearers got this floor over for us," Nier muttered to no one in particular, though to get to the next floors from here, that would be the true challenge.

Pausing at the thought, he brought out an item, clicking on a button on its surface. He sat it on the table, watching as it emit blue light out of it, revealing the labyrinth on the current floor. It was certainly complicated, given the amount of traps and deaths there certainly ruining everyone's moods.

Kibaou, the player who lead the attack on the boss here, was supposedly given false info, resulting in his losing quite a number of the party he lead. It was definitely one of the worst defeats to have resulted for some time. Foolish, stupid, and any other things were aimed his way. And Nier shared that thought as well. One should always be ready before tackling such a dangerous foe, after all. Jackass.

Nier quickly scanned through the labyrinth, forging the quickest, yet safest pathway there is. The poisonous swamps here would certainly be a challenge to get pass, and he was not risking his friends' lives.

'Hmm… If we go here, and then take a turn here… Yeah, that should work,' he nodded to himself, the pathway embedded into his mind. As long as they followed through with this path, then nothing bad should happen.

Putting away the device for now, he jumped onto his bad, the comforting mattress doing more than enough for his tired body. And even so, his mind continued to race through, restless.

For some strange reason, his hand certainly felt warmer than usual. Looking down at them, they were fine as always, yet there was a hidden strength in them, waiting to be released in the next battles to come.

Whatever it was, it was definitely comforting. And yet, it felt different than the comfort of his parents' touch. Whatever this was…

'Hmm… Why do I feel odd about this?' It wasn't necessarily unwelcome, but it was certainly new. He supposed it was just his mind playing tricks on him, he supposed.

Setting his arms down by his sides, he fell asleep not even a minute later.

* * *

The Next Day

"Alright, everyone. We're going to keep going forwards until we reach a town, so our next destination will be the twenty-seventh floor. Not too hard, but if you guys feel unprepared, go get stocked up on items now," their leader advised, turning on his heels so to face them properly.

"Nope. I'm fine. I got my katana and my armour ready!" Klein flashed a bright thumbs-up at his friend, a big grin to go with it.

"Indeed. We've made sure that we're fully stocked up on curatives, so we should be fine," Yuna nodded in agreement.

"Good, cause' I don't want us to make a trip back here when we're in the middle of the labyrinth. It'd waste a bit too much of our time by then," he sighed, hoping things wouldn't come to that. "Oh yeah. Sachi, you sure you don't want a different shield? Yours look's like it's gonna' break or something."

"Oh, it's fine. This one still has a long durability, so I'll keep this one," the bluenette shook her head. "Well, shouldn't we get going?"

"Yeah, I suppose so," he nodded. "Alright everyone, let's go."

And off went «Blank», into the labyrinth and towards floor thirty-nine.

* * *

 ***Xenoblade Chronicles—Time to Fight! (Play Song)***

*Shing!*

"Klein, you're up!" The lad jumped out of the way, the samurai rushing forth and cutting down the skeletal foe with his blade, effectively downing it in one strike. "Sachi, keep your distance! Those golems are resistant to everything but maces!"

"R-Right!" The girl cried back, raising her shield and blocking the powerful slam.

'Dang! None of us actually wield that sort of weapon! Shoot, I'm gonna' have to hack myself one then!' And with that mental command, a steel mace popped into his inventory, ready to swing. "Sachi, parry that thing and switch!"

Not knowing any other course of action, she followed his order, powering up her spear and striking just at the right moment, knocking the golem's arm away.

"Switch!" She yelled, and Nier came forth, a blunt weapon in hand.

*Bam!*

With a single «Sword Skill», his mace came crashing into the hard-bodied being, shattering it like it was glass. And soon enough, it dissipated into fragments, just as any monster that had been slain.

"Let's finish this up, guys. One more!" And his statement finished, all eyes darted towards the single «Drunken Ape». And, knowing that it was the target to their lone fury, it broke into a mad dash the opposite direction of whence they came from.

 ***Xenoblade Chronicles—Time to Fight! (End Song)***

Well, there goes their last target.

"Huh. Who would've thought they were capable of that too," he blinked, his posture relaxing.

"Wait. Nier, you use maces as well?" Asuna asked, genuinely surprised. And so too was everyone else. As far as they knew, he's only taken to the battlefield with a sword and his bow.

"Ehh, I've been practicing with all of them, to be honest. I just never really thought of revealing it to anyone," he shrugged, his words true this time.

While he technically did give himself the weapon through not entirely legal methods, he did put in effort to train himself in the combat of each type of weapon. There would certainly be a time when there will be no swords or bows around him, and he'd need to rely on an entirely different weapon.

And when that time comes, he'll do just fine.

"Okay everyone. The way the «Drunken Ape» ran off to is where we're supposed to go to next, so let's get our stuff together and move out," the boy informed the rest, placing the blunt weapon in his inventory. "All of you good to go?"

"Yeah. Just need to heal a bit," Klein nodded, biting into a sandwich Asuna made.

It was no question that the rapier-wielder was the best cook there was. But there would soon come the time when Nier would be just as good. Slowly, he was climbing up the ranks. God knows how things will turn out in the end.

After a short rest at the side, the «Blank» continued forwards, making quick work of the mobs that came at them, finding not much of a challenge in them. Truly, there was going to be nothing that would be called 'difficult' for them.

And soon enough, without them even realising just how such a short time had passed, they stepped out into the open, blinding light striking their eyes, requiring them to blink it away, before everything became clear for them.

* * *

Floor 27: Ronbaru

And then another floor was over, and they soon reached Ronbaru Town, a fitting town for night elves, as the brochures read.

It was certainly a brand new sight, as every town had been.

Each town had a certain uniqueness of its own, making it stand out from the other towns. And this one was certainly possessing a design that truly made it Ronbaru.

The town itself was carved out of a mountain, and taking a look at a map he had on him, it showed that the town was located within a circular valley, a deep ravine nearby. There were countless narrow alleys and stairs that criss-crossed throughout the town, a circular central plaza in the center of the town. Stone floors, bridges and tunnels made up the rest of the town, complete with only a small workshop, a shop and an inn made out of cyan stone tightly connected together.

All in all, it was simple, but special. A fitting conclusion for this town, and every of which they've come across.

At the teleportation gate of the town, Nier was already deciding on their next course of action. He didn't exactly want to rush his guild more than he already has, which in truth was actually the opposite, but he would like it if they could progress faster.

Still, he supposed time to rest wasn't all that bad, since the moment they reached floor twenty-six, they progressed even further. Yes, it wasn't all that hard—the rest can definitely testify for that—but rest. Who wouldn't want to lie down on a bed?

"Alright, guys. Let's go find the inn and check in," he told the rest of the guild.

And he was just about ready to just walk away, to break away from the group to search for their designated location, until he felt something strange with his hand.

Looking down, he noticed something strange.

His hand was glowing.

"Huh?" He blinked, looking around him. Everyone was looking at him, unnerving him by a bit. The luminescence was certainly strong, everyone's attention aimed at him. Even his friends were looking at him funnily. 'What the…'

*Khh..!* *Shing!*

"Whoa!" All of a sudden, a white sword popped into his hand, glinting like jewels before all the light displaced itself into nothingness. The black guard was sturdy, and as he held it, he felt it equally light as it was heavy. How does that even work?

"Uhh, Nier? Where'd that come from?" Klein pointed at the sword with one finger, jaws unhinged from one another. His friends, while lacking the mouth gesture, was certainly just as shocked at the display.

"W-Wait! I don't know! I swear!" He raised his hand in frantic worry, hoping that this wasn't going to blow his cover as a hacker, cause' he'd rather it be kept a secret for a little bit more. But this was certainly not helping. "This sword just appeared out of nowhere!"

It was an honest truth. If he had hacked himself the weapon, he would usually spawn it into his inventory first, just as he's done before with the mace before this. But this was certainly not him. Because if it was, then he would certainly know

But he had made sure to keep his identity as a hacker entirely discreet. He'd do it in some secluded area, so this was certainly not his work.

So.. is his «NerveGear» broken? Possibly not! If it was, he'd be dead a long time ago. The device was designed so to maintain a constant radioactive transmission to the head. If his health was cut down to zero, or someone tried to pull it off his head, then it would emit high-powered microwaves towards the brain, killing him in a matter of seconds.

But there's nothing wrong with it, right? He was still alive. So…

'No… No..!' His eyes widened, black orbs displaying all sorts of shock. Not because of this sword coming out of nowhere randomly, but because he had a possibility why this happened. 'Don't tell me..!'

Is someone else hacking his «NerveGear»?!

The first and most obvious reaction was fear. Fear that, being scanned of this, would immediately cause him to be 'banned' from the game. And by banned, it means him getting killed on the spot there.

But for some reason, there was only one thing that he could feel.

He was amazed.

Finally! Someone else in this world that was actually good at hacking, just as he was! This person was certainly going to prove to be a suitable rival to him!

But returning to the matter at hand, he was going to need to find a way on how to explain this undesired complication.

"Wait!" Klein shouted first, being the one to speak yet again. Seriously, where had everyone else's voice gone to, Nier thought. "Do you think it's a quest?"

"A quest, you say?" He blinked, a part of him pondering on the words that left his best friend's lips, and the longer he thought about it, the harder it was for him to hold back his smile.

Oh! Maybe, that was it! This was a quest, or side-quest, activated by the system. That could be it then!

Well, that was simple.

"C-Could be," he shrugged, genuinely nervous. "But what do we do from here?"

"Hmm… We need to search for clues then," Yuna pointed out. "Should we split up? There might be something in this town that could mean something."

"Alright. Then let's get going," everyone nodded at his words. He stared at the sword, wondering just what could happen next.

* * *

Seriously though, Nier thought, they had just gotten to the town and wanted a decent bed. Now, he has to go walking around it just to find some clues to this sword that came out of nowhere.

Come on! He knew that the game probably hates him already for doing great things without true effort, but he seriously doesn't care all that much. The only thing that worried him was whether or not he'd be able to go to sleep before night fell.

And after an hour, the guild regrouped once more, seemingly empty-handed.

"Nothing, huh?" He sighed, the blade never once moving away from his hand. "Strange… There has to be a reason that the system gave me this."

He really hoped that it wasn't someone hacking his «NerveGear». He really doesn't need someone accidentally killing him by then.

"Maybe the quest doesn't activate now, so… Should we wait for tomorrow?" The bluenette of the group spoke next, a look of thought adopted by their leader, who finally gave in with a shrug.

"Sure. I guess we'll figure it out tomorrow then. Come on, guys, let's get to the inn," he made a gesture to follow him, and they all did, turning in for the day.

* * *

The Next Day

"Nothing," it was only for a slight fraction of a second, easy to miss. But, if one was to properly look at him during that small time period, they would have seen the way his right eyebrow twitched. "That's strange…"

"Could the system be malfunctioning or sorts?" Asuna's words were met with a shake of the head.

"I highly doubt that. Everything that happens in this game has a meaning. As such, this sword," he paused, bringing up a menu to check on the blade. "Huh… «Binary». In any case, whatever happens in this game, the system does it because it has a meaning. This isn't some random glitch, for sure."

It made sense, didn't it? This very system, «Cardinal System», was created by the very man who turned all of this into a living nightmare. Kayaba Akihiko. And he could only imagine just how much of a perfectionist the old man is.

Considering the fact that he's even decided to add a function for the five senses? Yeah. He'll make sure to keep an eye out for everything.

Except Nier hacking, which is something he was hoping for.

"So is there a quest or not? Because I'm starting to get the feeling as if the game is broken," Sachi sighed, arms crossed over her.

"Again, I highly doubt it. Even if there was a moment where the system did falter, it would fix itself without much time wasted, so all we'd see is basically nothing, since it's already repaired by then," he shrugged. Seems that his time doing research on the game certainly helped. "In any case, I suppose it can't be helped. For now, let's just keep on going upwards. Who knows? We'll find something long enough."

And they resumed with their journey once more.

* * *

«Binary» was a strange key to some strange quiz, made by an enigmatic man whose desire to test man's strength and willpower could be respected by many.

If it didn't require him pitting so many humans in a game where, if their healths dropped to zero, they would die in real life. Not really a smart way there.

Back to the topic, the sword certainly proved its function. It was easier to use than the sword he's crafted, so he swapped his current blade out for this one. Add to the fact that it was stronger, possessed no true durability, and actually gave a slight boost to his defence, was just making this thing too OP.

But what definitely had him caught at the tail, was that the white blade heeded his command, and no one else's.

He had gotten Klein to give it a few test swings, but each time he did so, he would complain as to how heavy the sword was, going so far as to compare it to the really large dumbbells found in gyms. And yet, when Nier weld it, it felt perfectly fine.

Trying with Sachi next, she seemed to have given the same response, adding that it seemed to _move away from her_. It was a strange way to put it, she realised, so she said that whenever she held it, it felt like it was trying to get out of her hand. Still, that didn't change the meaning, so it was redundant.

Strange. It had him rather curious. So was he the only one who could use this sword? Maybe, but he supposed it would be fine either way.

In any case, the «Blank» were doing rather well as always, levelling up and gaining more items than they thought possible. It would take quite a bit more for them to reach floor thirty-five, the next floor with a town, so they decided to take it slow. Although, it couldn't really be considered all that slow, since they were now only four floors away.

'«Binary»… Why'd you give this to me, I wonder?' He thought, staring at the sword whilst the rest of his guild settle down in their pitched tents. They would stay the night here, then would continue afterwards. Sighing, he sheathed it. "Klein, let's go hunt for some game. Asuna, Sachi, Yuna, watch over the camp."

"Coming," the samurai hollered, setting down the stones. "Sachi, mind finishing up the campfire for me?"

"Sure," she nodded, coming over and resuming his work for him.

"Thanks," he smiled, half-jogging to his younger friend, who sported an unamused look. He took notice of it, a look of confusion on his own features. "What?"

"Seriously? So much time had passed, and you were unable to start a fire?" He sighed, his friend flinching in response.

"I-It's not my fault! It was really hard!" He cried out, a roll of the eyes from the younger lad.

"Sure, sure. Come on, let's just go," Nier pulled out his bow, notching an arrow to it. Klein, still looking stricken by that simple accusation, trailed after him, and the two searched the area thoroughly for anything.

Half an hour passed, and the two returned with two medium pieces of boar. Roasting it didn't take too hard, and everyone were soon enjoying meat, fresh from the fire.

Truly, Asuna should start a restaurant someday.

"Mmh… So guys," he paused to swallow a chunk of boar. "When we reach Mishe, do you guys want to anything there?"

"Ooh, cheesecake!" Sachi's sudden cry gained everyone's attention. "I heard that the pastries made there is really good, so I always wanted to try it!"

"Really? Well, that's certainly something to look forward to," the monochromatic-haired boy chuckled in amusement, the girl averting her gaze away from him as her face burned with slight embarrassment.

"Well, since you were the one that brought up the topic, there must be something there that's caught your interest, isn't there?" Asuna's words were matched with a look of amazement, slowly shifting into a simple grin from the boy.

"To be expected of you," he snickered, putting away a bone stick. "But yeah, something there interests me. If I'm not wrong, there should be a boss that you can fight which gives you an item capable of reviving a dead player."

"Huh? Seriously?!" The samurai almost spat out everything, but he managed to keep it all in.

"But wait. Wasn't that only available during Christmas Eve?" Yuna pointed out, earning a look of surprise from the lad. "If so, then we wouldn't be able to go after him anymore, so it's basically impossible to fight him anymore."

"Really? Sad. I was really hoping to see what sort of boss it would have been," he chuckled in front of everyone, though the reason for such a thing was much sourer in his mind.

There was no denying the fact that just about anything could happen, and this meant that anyone standing with him now could be dead at any time. As such, he wanted to be ready, in case anyone _did_ die.

Not that he wanted such a thing to happen, no. He just wanted to be prepared in case such a thing happened. He was not ready to mourn for anyone's death. Not now, not ever.

"Seriously? You want to fight the boss just because you want to?" Klein sighed, though the smile did stay on his face. "Guess it can't be helped. You do like fighting, after all."

"Of course. It certainly beats doing nothing, after all," he snickered back, thankful that no one understood his true thoughts. "Plus, it's not like any of the other monsters we've really faced, after all. A new challenge is certainly worth tackling, but since it's not here anymore… Meh."

"Can't deny that," the man nodded back.

"Well, I'm gonna' go get all this cleaned up," he took all the bowls and plates from their hands, standing up. "Where was the river?"

"I know where it is. And can I come with you?" Yuna offered, taking some of the stuff from his hands.

"Ehh, fine. Not like I'd be able to stop you," he chuckled, letting her lead the way.

It definitely took a bit of searching, but they soon came across a clean river, flowing from the mountains. They got to work relatively quickly, enjoying the silence.

At first, Nier wanted to say something to her, but it seemed that she had broken him to the punch.

"You were clearly lying back there," she spoke up, earning a passive look from the boy. He raised an eyebrow.

"About what, though?" A part of him was hoping that she got her words wrong. That what she was going to say next had absolutely nothing to do with what he said earlier.

"About you wanting to fight the Christmas Eve boss just because you wanted to," damn it, she knows. "You were more likely wanting to fight him for the item, didn't you?"

"Aah… Who knows?" His smile was betrayed by the trickle of sweat down the side of his face.

"I do know. The others do too, but no one wanted to say anything because they didn't want to worry you," she frowned. "And before you even think about trying to say otherwise, what you talked about with Sachi, Sachi shared with us that night.

'Oh, darn it!' His eyes shot wide, screwing them shut right after. 'Sachi, why?!'

Well, he's definitely screwed.

"And before you ask her why she told us without asking for your permission, we asked her first," she reassured the lad, seeing him relax slightly. "So you were afraid all this time, huh? And we didn't notice…"

"N-No. It wasn't none of your faults. It's just something I have to deal with since a long time ago," he chuckled, trying to hide his slight embarrassment. "It's, uhh… I guess it comes with the fact that I've always been by my parents' sides all my life."

"Huh? You've never made friends?" She asked, taking a seat beside the river, letting the water brush against her bare feet.

"Yeah… I've always been too scared to talk to people, to be honest," he sighed, sit beside her after she patted the spot next to her. "Except here, for some reason. I guess because this is not me, but just a cognitive version of me."

"But Kayaba designed us to look exactly as we look like. Although, I'm not sure about your hair colour," she pointed at his head.

"Oh, don't worry. This is real. I've always been born with black and white hair," he laughed at her look of surprise. "Ha… A fear of being lonely. Strange, I always thought. I… never really considered myself to be afraid of that until I talked with Sachi that night."

"Look, you don't need to worry so much. None of us are going away. We're all going to get out of this," her hand brushed over his, holding it firmly. The warmth from hers nullified the cold air, so comforting.

Looking into her brown eyes, he couldn't help but feel that really heavy weight lifting off of him. He supposed that, if she and the others were going to remain persistent about this, then he'll try his best not to worry.

He smiled back after a while, his free hand dipping into the water.

"Jeez… First Sachi, now you. It feels like you're helping me way more than I can actually repay," he laughed, pulling his hand out. Cold, but it felt nice.

"What are you talking about? You've done way too much. More than even you had thought possible," she shook her head, pulling her hand away from his to take her hat off of her, setting it down beside her. "You've been protecting us from the very beginning. Don't you know that?"

"Really? I feel like you would've done well even on your own without me," he scratched the back of his head. "But seriously though, you should have gone with your friend earlier. What if he's alone now?"

"He's not," a new voice broke the air, eliciting a yelp from the songstress. A weight settled on the stone behind them, their heads snapping towards the source.

But Nier didn't look all that surprised. In fact, he was smiling.

For who stood there, was a girl with blond yellow hair, draped in a brown cloak with a dagger attached to her belt. Brown tunic with a grey skirt and brown boots made up the rest of her outfit.

To Yuna, this was certainly someone new. But to Nier, she was just some friend.

"Seriously, Argo, you should have messaged me that you'd be nearby. Showing up all of a sudden is a bit too much, don't you think?" He snickered, standing up. "And eavesdropping, no less. Is that really how you get all your info?"

"Rude. I don't do that," she snorted, joining his side, facial expressions beginning to soften. "So, uhh… Sorry about that. That conversation was serious, wasn't it?"

"It's fine. I trust you just as much as I trust the others, so it's alright," he sighed in the end, waving her worries away. "So what are you doing here? Tired of your fans?"

"Before you call them that, put into consideration the fact that they always follow me everywhere they go. So no, I'm not tired of my fans. More like I'm tired of my stalkers," the information broker rolled her eyes, pausing when her gaze landed onto the other girl. A smirk quickly came to her. "Oh? And who is she?"

"This is Yuna," he introduced her.

"Ho? So you've finally gotten a girlfriend?" She snickered, relishing in the way the girl in question stuttered, the blush coming quicker than anything else.

"N-N-No! We're not!" She denied the thought, shaking her head faster than she ever had in her life. She almost looked like she was heaving whiplash.

"Really? So she's just a member of your guild? Is that it?" Argo whistled, pulling out a dagger and giving it a few twists.

"She's a good friend who I've met the during first day of «Sword Art Online». We've been travelling together ever since," he explained. "And hey, I have a question for you. Is the Christmas Eve quest still here?"

"Mmm… No. I checked the area last time, and it's already off," she answered with a shake of the head, eliciting a sigh from him. "Hey, don't feel bad. Knowing you, nothing bad is going to happen to anyone else under your watch."

"Careful now, Argo. What you say may not always be the case, and the both of us know that," the only boy of the three snorted at the end of his words, taking back all the bowls and plates from before into his arms. He was ready to just go, until the information broker suddenly appeared in front of him, taking half of his load off of him. "Hey!"

"Oh, don't be such a sourpuss. I'm just helping a friend out. What's so wrong in that?" She rolled her eyes, walking away. "So, Yuna, how about you tell me a bit of yourself?"

"Huh? Oh, well, there's not a lot about me…" The two girls' voices trailed off as they disappeared from the area, leaving behind a mismatching-haired boy to just sigh.

Looking up into the dark, midnight sky, he could only wonder how things are going to play out.

* * *

"Pardon?" The boy blinked, not exactly believing what he had just heard.

"You heard me. Make me a part of your guild, Nier," the blonde smiled back, drinking some water from her canteen.

"Well… Are you sure about that? I mean, you've a job as information broker to do, and being part of our guild may hinder your work progress," he explained to her in the way he thought most logical, which was probably true.

"Oh, pshaw. You don't need to worry so much about all that junk. It's not all that important, to be honest," she waved him off. "Plus, consider it being me repaying you all that time."

"All that time? Wait, how long does your history together go?" Klein butted in, sounding interested. The rest of the guild joined right after, forming a circle around the cracking fire.

"Well, both of us are beta testers, that much I can promise you. We've played for quite a bit, and reached floor ten," she shrugged, before a grateful smile came to her, surprising the rest. "In fact, I'd say he was the only one I stuck to during the whole time."

"Whoa, really? Why's that?" He pushed on.

"Klein, shut up," the lad deadpanned, but no one really took notice of his words.

His eyebrow twitched.

"Well, as I said, he was really nice. Easy to talk to, and helped me with the inns and outs of the game. I tell you, if he wasn't there, I would've never known how to even fight," she chuckled in embarrassment. "But he was just a really nice friend. He still has me in his friends contacts list."

"As I do with the rest of you all," he interjected, just before the conversation could take a stranger turn. "And while, yes, she did hang out with me most of the time, that was only because almost everyone else were a bunch of old dudes."

"Really? Then wait, Argo, how old are you?" Asuna raised her hand.

"I'm as old as Nier over here," she nudged his arm with her elbow. "So how about it? Can I be a part of «Blank»?"

"Ehh… Sure, why not. Not like there's any problems with you joining us in the first place, so…" He brought up his menu, tapping on a few buttons. A ringing notification resounded, and Argo touched something. A moment later, and her name was registered amongst the members of «Blank».

"Alright! I'll do my best," she beamed at the boy, who merely rolled his eyes. She can be pretty energetic whenever she wanted to. "Oh hey. Fun little question, but why did you call it «Blank» in the first place?"

"Because it just sounds cool," he answered far too easily, earning a sweat-drop from the information broker.

"Not… entirely helpful, but I suppose it counts as an answer," while it certainly wasn't all that satisfying, she supposed that it was better to just drop it.

"But now that you're here… We're going to need another tent," Nier hummed, finding not enough for one extra person. "Okay, we'll—"

"I'll let her sleep in with me," Sachi offered, looking at the blonde. "That is, if you don't mind?"

"Well, sure! If you're okay with it, I'm more than happy to take the offer!" The blonde grinned back at the bluenette, sparing a glance past her shoulder at the boy, smirking slyly. "Or… Does Nier require some company for the night?"

"Alright, everyone! Good night!" He decided to ignore that suggestive remark from his friend, going into his tent just as quick as he said that.

"Jeez, such a spoilsport…" She blew a raspberry, turning into a smile as she followed after Sachi. "So, who're you?"

"Sachi. A pleasure to meet you," the bluenette introduced herself.

* * *

In the real world once more, where the streets were bustling with cars and people, and the towns no less quieter, Adam Fate stared out of his house's window, holding a glass of water.

He had promised himself never to take a sip of wine, no matter what. He could only imagine what effects it would have on him.

Sipping from the tasteless drink, he wondered on a few things, most notably of his son's wellbeing.

Obviously, he was still alive, judging by how his real life body's still functioning as normal. The only thing that worried him was what was going on inside the game.

Surely, the in-game monsters that might come across his way would not prove to be a challenge. He's already seen what his son's capable of in normal games, so what's something like this going to be?

However, it was how long he would need to wait until his son would be ready to leave the dastardly game. Truly, neither he nor his wife, and not even his sister was patient enough for years.

And talking about the boy's sister…

"Papa, when are we going to go see Nii?" She asked, holding a completed Rubik's cube. He smiled in amusement, knowing that it was probably her sixteenth finished one yet.

"Tomorrow. Your mother went out for a business meeting," he answered. "Although she isn't really working, she does meet up with other doctors whenever they call for her."

"When will mama come back?" The little girl asked once more, her silver hair gleaming under the light.

*Click!* *Creak…*

"Now, apparently," he smiled, moving away from the window to greet his wife, who was wearing a blue dress with black jeans, finished off with a black cardigan. "Welcome back, dear."

"Hey," Layla smiled back, stepping into the house after putting away her shoes. She noticed the little girl that stood nearby, a Rubik's cube in hand. She sighed. "Adam, how many times have I told you not to give her that? She wouldn't stop playing it once she gets it…"

"Sorry. But there wasn't much that I could find. She played and finished all of her brother's games," just as he had, he thought. "So I just gave her what I found. Is that all so bad?"

"Yes. Because at the end of the day, I might have to buy her a new one because she breaks it, just because you tell her to solve it fifty times," she scolded her husband, who flinched from that cool tone.

In a way, she wasn't wrong.

"And I suspect that you've been quite busy, considering the fact that you haven't left your room at all yesterday," she noted.

"What? No! I mean, yes, I mean..! It was something, but it wasn't all that hard," he smiled, the urge to sweat held back just in case.

"Liar," she responded coolly, him flinching in response. "Adam, I know that you've majors in computer science, computer engineering and computer programming. And yes, I know that you've moved on to a singing industry, but you're the one who designs the music videos. You're the one who does all the coding and designing."

"Jeez, Layla, take it easy on me. All these facts are like bullets to my heart," Adam chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest, looking bashful. "But yeah. So?"

"I've seen the large computer in your room. You're doing something important in there, and I'd like to think that it has something to do with «Sword Art Online», doesn't it?" Arrow to the bullseye, if the way he just gaped at her words indicated anything.

"Wow… You sure you're just a doctor?" He gulped, Layla coming close to take his chin.

"Tell me, Adam. What are you doing?" Her tone didn't change at all, remaining to be strict.

"Okay, okay! Calm down, woman!" He cried out, taking a step away and keeping her at arms length by her shoulders. "Okay… Look, I've been doing important things."

"Now you're just taking the words out of my mouth," she snorted, setting her bag down on the dinner table as she walked towards the living room, her adoptive daughter and husband right on her trail.

"Yes, well, as you said, it _does_ have to do with the game," he nodded. "I've been finding ways to break through the game's function to fry the players' brains should they die in-game, but it's really hard."

As expected of Kayaba Akihiko. He, who wasn't called a programming prodigy for nothing.

"So I tried other things. Ways to communicate with him, sending information or items to him, or anything, but I haven't really made much progress," he sighed, disappointed. "I mean, think about it. If we could send him in-game money and equipment just like that, then it would make things easier for him."

"Hmm… True. He and the players would be able to finish the game much more quickly then. But if you can't do it, who else can?" Layla messaged her temples, her mind wondering on that for a little bit.

And the answer didn't even take long to come to them.

Because the moment those words left her lips, she could feel something tug at the hem of her dress. Looking down, it was their silver-haired daughter.

"I did," she answered.

* * *

Stepping into Nur's room, the girl wasted no time to begin clicking away on the keyboard, bringing up all sorts of windows that looked like malarky and doodles, but were really complicated algebras and unique codes all compiled into this little screen.

That does it. Nur has a rival in computing and gaming, and possibly everything else.

"There," she pointed at a picture of a white sword with a black guard, earning her parents' attention. "I gave that to Nii."

"Wait, really? Like, actually sent it to him, and can be equipped and stuff?" He asked, just to make sure. The nod that came afterwards drew a massive grin on his face, heart welling with pride. "Amazing! I didn't know you could do that!"

"Anything for Nii," she shook her head, and the married couple shared a short 'Aww!' with each other.

"Well, if you could do that, then could you break through Kayaba's hold over their «NerveGears»?" Layla asked next.

"No. It's too hard," she frowned for once, ruining her adorable visage.

"Okay… Then what if you try hacking into the system so that we could watch them?" The father's question was met with a curious look from both his daughter and wife. "I mean… Who wouldn't want that?"

To watch over their loved ones as they battled in this deadly game? To live with the knowledge that they're fine and well? To see them smile and live happily, despite not being by their sides?

That would certainly put millions of hearts at ease, and they soon understood.

"…Okay. I'll try," she nodded, beginning to get to work. Father and mother shared a smile with each other, as Adam rested his hand on her head, patting her in a loving manner. Truly, just as her brother was, she was a light that shined in their darkness. And they couldn't find a reason not to love her.

"Thank you so, so much," Layla breathed shakily, looking at the screen of the device, the clicks and clacking of the keyboard filling the room. 'Nur… Return home quickly, alright? Shiro misses you…'

* * *

 **A/N: So that's that! Whoo, this is going to be a really long story. And my love for the anime will keep me going on! Please be patient.**

 **In any case, I'm getting that some of you are probably going to be confused with the age of the characters. So from now on, at the end of each story, if a new character is getting introduced or the like, I'll put the age range down below.**

 **Characters' age:**

 **Klein: 22**

 **Yuuna: 16**

 **Asuna, Sachi: 15**

 **Nier, Argo: 14**


	6. Chapter 5

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 5: We're Doing This Together'`

 _Nur Fate, under the alias of Nier in the world of «Sword Art Online», was many things. A king with an iron fist, a boy with a heart of gold, and a very influential, intelligent boy._

 _And yet, as his father has always said, he was smart in the mind, yet innocent in the heart._

 _And he would never admit it to anyone who has ever lived to meet him, that he does indeed not know the matters of the heart. Not that he'd known about it in the first place._

* * *

Suguha Kirigaya, a simple school girl who didn't really have much of a hobby, besides kendo, a sword fencing art in Japan.

Introduced to it at quite a young age, she had practically requested her grandfather to teach her more, something that he himself did not really expect, but was saw no reason so to not comply. In fact, the only thing that kept him going, was that if he didn't do it, then she'd complain to her mother.

And Lord knows how scary Midori can be at times.

In any case, the girl lived a simple life. Doing schoolwork wasn't all that hard, house chores was second to breathing, as her mother had raised her up to do them since a long time ago, and kendo was fun. Simple, right?

Well, simple didn't necessarily mean fun. Now, with the introduction of «Sword Art Online», and a certain girl's assistance, everything changed.

The masses were absolutely stunned at the sight of this supposedly supergenius. She was, in fact, a seven-year-old girl who had absolutely dominated the world in a sense of intellects. Truly, were they to match her against Kayaba, there was an unanimous votes for her being the winner.

Anyways, ever since the girl had been introduced to the papers and sosial media, it was revealed that she had developed a virus that was capable of hacking into the game's systems, allowing just about anyone to gain view of those that they choose to see.

And without question, it took the world by surprise.

"Wow… She's so smart…" Suguha blinked, her mother beside her surprisingly tame. Well, tame as she could ever be, though the slightly gasp she gave away meant that she shared a sense of surprise as well.

"I can't believe it… I thought Adam wasn't going to show Shiro to the world…" Midori sighed, messaging her temples. Work was complicated enough, so she didn't really need anything more to confuse her.

"You know her, mother?" The girl asked, curious.

"Well, yes, though I only know her through her father and mother, Adam and Layla Fate," Midori answered, standing up from the couch. "Those two had a son, who's currently in «Sword Art Online». They adopted the girl a while back, and wanted to show her to their son, but…"

"But what?" She urged, taking notice of her mother's sudden trailing off.

"…Nothing. It's nothing," she shook her head. "In any case, I plan to go see them. Would you like to come with?"

"Well, sure. It beats having to do something than nothing, I suppose," she nodded, following after her mother.

* * *

Arriving at a simple-looking house, with a black Mercedes sitting just outside of the area, a family of three stepped out of their own simple red car, walking towards the home of the player Nier.

And there, Midori met several faces that were both new and old to her.

There was Adam and Layla, looking the same as always, with their silver-haired daughter standing just beside them. The new faces, however, was a somewhat tall brown-haired woman standing next to a matching-haired man, who had slight wrinkles on his face. Both seemed to wear business suits, discussing something with the parents.

When the Kirigaya's got closer, the Fate's shifted their attention to them.

"Ah! Midori, Minetaka!" Layla beamed at them, smiling. "I didn't know you were coming! You should have given me a message of sort!"

"Sorry. My phone died on me at the last minute. But really, it's nice to see you two," Midori chuckled sheepishly, looking at the two brunettes. "Good morning. Are you Layla's acquaintances?"

"Well, yes. We are," the man nodded. Walking to the pair, he offered his hand, taken by the other man as they shook. "I'm Shouzou Yuuki, CEO of RECT Inc. I'm sure you've heard of the company before?"

"Really? CEO? I'm surprised," and the blinking of the eyes meant that she wasn't lying at all. She turned her head to Layla. "Layla, how'd you meet them?"

"Well, it's more like Adam worked with him once," she answered, all heads turning to the raven-haired man, who sweat-dropped from suddenly gaining all the attention.

"Err, how do I say this… We used to be go to the same high school back in the day, and were in the same class," he explained briefly, earning an understanding hum from Midori Kirigaya. "And let me guess. You met my wife here in that same situation in the past as well?"

"Well, yes. Quite the coincidence, huh?" The woman chuckled.

"Certainly amusing, to say the least," Layla agreed.

"Everyone, if I may," Minetaka spoke up, gaining everyone's attention. "If possible, could we resume with our conversation inside? It's going to get hot soon enough," he chuckled, already fanning himself with his hand.

"True that. Well then, let's go in," Adam gestured to the house, and the group of seven stepped into it.

* * *

The house wasn't necessarily all that fancy, Kyouko Yuuki thought, but it was certainly warm and comfortable. And she could appreciate that much.

After taking some time to get together and talk about each other, there were some things that she learnt. For example, just as Adam had gotten to meet both her and her husband in high school, so too did Layla meet the Kirigaya's long ago in their own high school.

Truly, just as Midori put it, a coincidence.

"So… Who's this little ç'est la vie?" Adam asked as he gestured to the little black-haired girl, who squirmed under his gaze. So she's the shy type, he thought in his mind.

"That means 'it's life', Adam," Shouzou chuckled, the other scratching the back of his head in mild sheepishness.

"She's our daughter, Suguha," Minetaka introduced her. "She's thirteen this year."

"A year younger than our son," the other man noted, and it didn't take long for his next words to come. "Don't worry so much about Nur. He's doing fine."

"And how can you tell? Have you been watching him using that virus thing?" Kyouko asked, sounding harsh. Even so, he knew that she wasn't necessarily being rude to others. It was just the way she sounded whenever she talked.

"Yup. Ever since Shiro here," he patted the girl's head, who sat just beside him. "Developed a virus, we've been watching over our son since a long time ago, and I'm happy to say that he's doing fine."

"Wait, really?" Minetaka was at a loss of words, responded with a simple nod. "Wow... Didn't actually think it would be possible."

"And he's made quite the number of friends. I'm almost envious of him," Layla chuckled as she settled herself on the couch beside him. "There's Yuna, a singer apparently, Klein, a young man, Sachi, a blue-haired woman, Argo, a blonde merchant, I think? And then there's Asuna—"

"Asuna?!" Kyouko almost stood up from the seat as she screamed, but she still had the decency to remain seated. "You mean Asuna's in there with him as well?!"

"Now, Kyouko, please sit down. Wouldn't want you to ruin the furniture," Adam snorted in amusement, the woman glowering at him just as quickly. He had developed an immunity for such a thing since a long time, so it didn't scare him at all.

"Well, yes, your daughter is in there. She… is your daughter, right?" Layla blinked, the mother of said girl clicking her tongue in chagrin.

"Who else?" She coldly snapped, losing her cool just like that. "That girl… I knew letting her take her brother's «NerveGear» was a bad choice…"

"Her brother's «NerveGear»? So you didn't buy her one?" Midori asked, drinking her cup of hot tea. It was surprisingly pleasant, even though it was a tad bit bitter. She would need to ask Layla on how to make that.

"No… Her brother, Kouichirou, had once bought the «NerveGear» and gotten a copy of the «Sword Art Online» after working in Shouzou's company," she sighed, holding back the urge to just enter a screaming fit. "He wanted to play it, but business got in the way, as he puts it, so he gave it to her. That girl… I told her not to play it, but she wouldn't just listen."

"Kyouko, she's a growing girl. She deserves to do or have whatever she wants, you know," Adam softly scolded, the woman averting her gaze away from him. "Look, I get it. You want your daughter to grow up with a good life. A good husband, good career, and a good whatever. But don't you think it's time to let her make her own choices every now and then?"

"I'm doing what's best for her, Adam. Tell me, what child wouldn't appreciate what their parents would do for them?" She scoffed, taking her own cup of tea and drinking.

"A child who knows that whatever his parents are doing, he doesn't like it," he answered simply, and it took her a moment to finish her drink, before she set it down. "Look, we're not here to discuss anything heavy. All I want to say is that she's fine, and they're all A-okay. That's it."

"Right. Nur's doing quite the job, taking care of your daughter," Layla nodded, earning a stern gaze from the other woman.

"You mean to say that your son is watching over Asuna, even as we speak?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"That's quite nice of him," Minetaka spoke, earning a nod from her wife. "I always took him for an introverted sort of person."

"And he is. But I suppose that he's doing fine in this situation, because he knows lives are at stake, and is taking the role as leader before anyone else could," Adam sighed, somewhat worried for the boy's mental health than anything. He knows just how pressuring it could be for someone who's never really interacted with people to suddenly be thrust into the position of leader.

"Hmph. And I can only hope that Asuna does not come to fall for your son. It would certainly bring no boon for her, that much I can tell," Kyouko snorted once.

*Bam!*

All sorts of words dying in throats as a fist slammed against the coffee table. Adam knew who it was, and his wife was very protective of their child. And in times like this, she was immediately ticked off.

Living with her taught him a lot.

"Don't. You. Dare. Insult. My. Son," strong was the bond between mother and child, and none could have sworn seeing such a seething parent. Now however, stood before them exactly one, with bared teeth and a predatory look, ready to kill. "He is doing everything he can to keep your daughter and thousand other players alive, so I will not have you spitting on my son's name. You hear me?"

And the supposedly cold, unshakable woman actually shuddered for once. It was as if she was staring at a Shinigami in the eyes.

"Do you understand me, _Yuuki_?" Layla had a tendency to use that person's surname whenever she was really ticked off, and these were such moments.

"Y-Y-Yes…" She nodded, shakily. There was no mistaking the fact that she was indeed terrified right now, judging by the shaky tone of which slipped from her tongue, if the way her hands were trembling from just that didn't mean anything.

And the tension remained in the room, hung over their heads like streamers from a party. Except this time, the mood was far sourer than any party, and no sounds had come into play, albeit their own drums of the heart, beating in their ears.

It was a heavy minute later, that Shiro finally had spoken up once more, breaking the dreadful silence.

"Mama," she began, a quizzical look on her face. "Why are these people here?"

"Ahh… These are just some friends of ours of whom we've met long ago, back when we were still in high school," Layla answered. "They just came here so to meet you."

"Seriously though, why'd you reveal Shiro to the public now?" Minetaka interjected, looking serious. That question had been bugging him for a bit too much, ever since the little girl's face made it into the headlines.

"We always wanted to, Minetaka. It was just a matter of time," Layla sighed, rubbing the back of her left hand. "Look, we never wanted to do it, alright? We just…"

"She was sick, and whatever infected her was severely contagious. Layla here had been treating Shiro," the father patted the girl's head at that, the latter leaning into his touch. "Ever since then. It was cruel, but it was necessary."

There was a pause there, something rather confusing. Shiro was sick? What could it be, to the point where they had to quarantine her, away from everyone else?

While it did pique their curiosities, they decided against asking it so visibly. The girl was here, after all, and they'd rather not have her think about such a thing.

"So, the reason why she couldn't meet Nur all this time, was because you were busy finding a cure for her?" The male Yuuki asked, earning a nod from his friend.

"Indeed. And while it was unfortunate that the time taken for her to be fully cured of this illness of hers had made it impossible for her to meet her brother at an earlier time," there was a chuckle that came afterwards, surprising everyone. Adam was smiling. "I suppose we could be patient for a few."

"Patient..? You're that confident that your son will make it out alive?" Kyouko's eyes went narrowed, cold and calculating. For some reason, there was no trace of fear in her friend's words, as if he actually believed it to the letter. That's some strong faith he has in his son. "Anything can happen, Adam. Don't even dare to think for a moment that your son will live."

"And the same can be said for your daughter, and the countless other players in «Sword Art Online»," he shot back coolly, earning a wide-eyed expression from the woman, before it melted into a pained scowl. "But I want to believe. Nur has done some things deemed impossible before, so I know he'll make it out."

"Yes," Shiro nodded in agreement, her father's eyes staring into her bright red ones. They held just the same amount of light in them, just as her brother before her does. "Nii will come back."

"And with all that scary talk out of the way," Nur's mother spoke once more, before their conversation could spiral out of control any further. "I've asked you to come here for a request, Shouzou."

"Well, if it's in my power, I'll promise to do the best I can," he nodded back.

"It's simple. I merely need you to install this into the system," she pulled out a flash drive from the one of her pants pockets, handing it to the man, who turned it over a couple of times to check it.

"Inside of it is a virus programme that Shiro here helped to make which allows one to observe what goes on in the game," Adam briefly explained, earning a gasp from the young Kirigaya.

"R-Really? Is that actually possible?" Suguha blinked.

"Apparently so. We've tested it with one of our televisions upstairs, and it worked well! I tell you what, I was just as shocked as you were when she said that she did it, but it's to be expected of her, after all," Adam nodded, excited. "Shouzou, people out there need this. At least a sense of relief, if not just for the sake of it. To see their friend, lover or family out there, in the game… Shouldn't we at least do that for them?"

"…It's a bad idea," all heads turned to the female Yuuki now, her icy composure still remain fixed onto her visage. "If we were to share this with everyone, then there would certainly cause problems."

"And how does that work?" Suguha asked in stead of everyone else, visibly curious as well.

"If we were to share this programme with every other families out there, I fear that it may stir an outrage amongst the masses," she answered quickly, arms crossed over her chest. "Think about it. While, yes, they could see their loved ones, but what if it fell in the wrong hands?"

That got them worried. A pathogen can be created or modified, with the right equipment. And the same could be said for computer virus.

God knows what could happen if such a thing occurred.

"Then… we share the broadcast with the people around the world, but we focus it onto one specific party," Layla suggested, chin on her knuckles. "I mean, it's at least something, right? It would still be in our control, so people would still get a clear understanding of what's going on in the game world, and no one would be able to have the virus in their hands."

"Hmm… That's certainly an idea to take into account, and I agree with you all the more," Minetaka nodded finally, giving it enough thought. And truth be told, it sounded plausible enough.

"So we are to broadcast a certain party of our choosing to the whole world using this virus programme that your daughter concocted… Hmm, I see no problem. I think it's alright, isn't it, Kyouko?" Shouzou looked to his left, his wife grumbling something incoherent. Even so, it was more than enough to tell the others that she agreed on it, albeit not quite comfortable with it.

"Okay then. We know what we have to do. We'll get started on it," Nur's father stood, patting the sides of his pants. "I'm going out to go buy some groceries. If any of you need anything, just give me a call, and I'll see to it."

* * *

Floor 28: Wolf Plains

In the fragmented game of memories and souls, we return to our monochromatic-haired 'Protagonist', who was busy looking through the fresh stock of fish on sale.

The fisherman certainly wasn't making this any easier for him. All of them were fresh, cheap, and most importantly of all, they looked delicious. The only trouble he had now, was which fish to choose.

They all looked good!

'Ahh…' He bit his lip in thought, wondering which one to take. If Asuna was here, she could've done the choosing. She just had to choose _him_ of all people.

Deciding that something was better than nothing, he paid the fisherman some coins before taking one of them, wrapped securely with leaves—a strange method, but understandable since there aren't plastic bags here, apparently.

Nier whistled on his way out of the safe bounds of the city, his mind on the other hand racing with all sorts of thoughts. He was thinking on what boss he would go for next, considering the fact that he and his guild, the «Blank», was far too overpowered. They could just push through all the floors, so to make life for the other guilds and the players easy.

Still, there was no real reason as to why they should rush things. Yes, it would make things so much more easier for everyone, but it would prove to only tire them more than necessary.

As always, take things at a slow pace. No matter how slow, just take your time. And he learned just that from all his years of practicing his gaming skills, and hacking potentials.

He snapped out of his thoughts when the scent of smoke filled his nostrils. Through muscle-memory alone, he had arrived at his camp, which he and his friends had set up somewhere on the outskirts of the little town, far away from the public.

"Hmm? Oh hey, Nier!" Klein waved his arm in the air upon seeing his best friend, who was steadily nearing them. "Done buying?"

"Yeah. It was hard to choose, so forgive me if I made the wrong pick," he chuckled, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. He passed the fish to Asuna, who took it with a smile. "So, has anything happened while I was away?"

"Nah, not really. The «Dire Wolves» haven't spawned yet, so there wasn't much to fight," he answered with a nonchalant shrug. "So yeah. How about you? Anything on your end?"

"Nothing much, to be honest. There weren't too many people there, so nothing exciting happened. Truth be told, I'm not all that surprised if the town was a last-minute effort to make something," his words elicited a hum from his friend, who nodded in understanding. "In any case, I have something that I'd like to discuss with all of you, so let's get down to eating."

"About what, Nier?" Yuna emerged from her tent, missing her cape, yet the hat remained firmly on her head. She really does love it, ever since he's given it to her, it seems.

"As I said, Yuna, eat first. Talk later," he repeated himself, earning a pout from the girl. Cute, he could say, but he would never.

Sooner than later, the strawberry-blond beauty returned with a pot of freshly cooked fish, simmered in that hot stew, with a lobster for added taste. With fresh cheese picked from Mishe, the next town, after Nier had gone out of his way to go the extra mile.

Seriously, someone really needs to keep a close eye on him. He disappears without a trace at times.

And while he would have loved nothing more than to just say that it was because of his hacking skills, it was more suitable to say that he's just good at that. No need for any fancy effects, he'll rid himself from one's vision in just a fraction of a second.

Lunch was relatively peaceful, and they took shifts, getting rid of the wolves that came after some time. A rotary between Nier and Klein was all that was needed. And once everything was over, they begin their little meeting.

"So Nier, what's the important thing that you'd like to bring up?" Sachi asked first, the others nodding in unison. They wanted to know just as badly as the other.

"Recently, I've asked Argo to help me carry out something. See, I had her put up a notice in the quests board area in the Town of Beginnings that we're up for hire," he began, the blond girl nodding. "I've had her write that, should there be any criminals or any troubles present, then they need only post their requests."

"Really? And what, are we going to go take care of it?" Klein asked back, almost thinking that it was a joke, until the boy gave a nod.

"Indeed. I was thinking that we could do a bit to help the players out. Keep the peace and prevent any more disasters, you know?" He kicked back, cracking his knuckles.

"But Nier, would we have enough time for all of it? We're busy enough trying to clear the floors. Don't you think it'd be time-consuming if we added something as this onto our plate?" Asuna brought up the topic he had hoped not to face, but he supposed it was going to come one way or another.

"I know, I know. But hear me out. If we're not going to do it, who else will?" That had her silent then, with everyone else listening to him intently. He took this momentary pause to think up of a question, before directing it at one of them. "This game… Yuna, answer me this. Who created this game, and what happens if our health goes down to zero?"

"Well… Kayaba Akihiko, while not technically the creator of the game, is the lead director of the game. And if our health bar goes down, we'll…" She paused, frowning slightly. "We'll die."

"Exactly. And all of this is Kayaba's fault, because he caused the game to be so, right?" Everyone gave a gesture of agreement. Just as he expected. "Then there. All of you are murderers yourselves."

…A short moment where time seemed to have come to a standstill, giving them just enough to just put into comprehension of what he had just said. So complex, yet so simple, their brains required time to function…

And then, they roared!

"WHAT?!" They all came gushing out at the same time, shocked looks on their faces.

"N-Nier, I know that you like making jokes and the like, and I can respect that, but _this_ one is a bit needing of humour, and less of scary stuff," the man of the group gulped, unsure of what to say.

"This is no jest, Klein. I'm serious. You, and I am the same as well, are all killers," he sighed, deciding to clarify on his words. "We share the mindset that it is Kayaba's fault if we die."

"W-Well, isn't that true, though? I mean, he's the one that made it so that the «NerveGear» kills the player if they die in the game world," Yuna gulped, at a loss of words right now.

"You're right. And that's what the red players think as well," that was more than enough to get his words to click in them, the true picture beginning to form. "As they see it, even if they do kill the players, all the blame shifts to Kayaba, since he's the root of it all."

"So… That sort of mindset is what all red players share, which bolsters their desire to kill players…" The rapier-wielder gulped, hands slightly fidgeting. This was seriously bad.

"Yes. And I wanted to do something about it. The other guilds are already busy dealing with the front lines for us, so it's up to us to do something about it," the boy's eyes narrowed slightly, cold and deadly. Were glares enough to murder, then thousands of men would have died before him by now. "We need to do all we can to rid that sort of mindset for good. That sort of philosophy, if you will, is only going to destroy the people, and you know it as well."

"Whoa, you really thought it all through… Didn't see that coming…" Klein blinked for a moment, before an amazed sigh came loose as he shook his head. "So, we're really going to do this?"

"Yup. Just think of it like those quest systems in those other RPG games. This is something similar to that," the lad spoke.

"Well, hey, I guess it's fine. As long as we don't get too carried away, we should be fine," Argo flashed the others a grin, returned with their own.

"Alright everyone. Let's go get in on some last-minute training before we hit the hay. The wolves should be spawning by now, so let's get started," he stood up, the rest rising up to join him.

* * *

The Next Day—Floor 1: Town of Beginnings

Still too early to be up, most players were still catching the Z's, tired either from work the previous day, or just still too lazy to get up. And on a ratio of three to one, the latter definitely beat the former.

But Nier was an early bird.

In any case, our monochromatic-haired 'Protagonist' is currently standing at the central plaza of the town, checking his gear.

And of course, he wasn't alone, much to his chagrin.

"You guys… You just had to follow me…" He sighed, casting a glance past his shoulder. All the girls were walking together, just behind him, looking surprisingly chipper.

"Well, there was no way we were going to leave you alone. Plus, Klein said that he'll watch over our tents while you're away, so no need to worry," Asuna offered a smile, one that was matched with the others' own.

"Nier, face it. You always go out on your own. Ya' wouldn't know what'll happen, so we're here to keep you safe," Argo butted in, flashing him a smirk. One that he returned with a grumble. At this point, he'll become an open book to all of them!

Although, it would certainly be plausible to say that he already has.

In any case, deciding to ignore this little situation, he made his way to the pub stationed close to the central plaza. There was a large notice board there, with all sorts of quests posted on it. Those that were directed at him would have a black stamp on it, just as he hoped for.

Although, taking a quick count at the board, only three were posted for his group to take.

'I guess it makes sense. People would certainly think of this to be some form of joke,' Nier hummed in his mind, walking to the board. Taking a close look at it, he wondered on which to take first.

There were currently three requests. The first one wanted him to take care of a few «Killer Mantis» on floor 20, Sunshine Forest. That wasn't necessarily hard. This was probably a test of sorts. To see whether they were really going to take these requests seriously. Rolling his eyes at the thought, he moved on to the next one.

The second request posted the necessity of finding a few materials. The person said that he was hosting a party for his friends and he, and as such, described their laziness to go out on their own to find these materials as 'we're having a few complications'. Complications, yeah right.

But the third one had his eyebrow cocking.

There was certainly not much difference with the first one. Except this one seemed to be an S.O.S. signal. The person was typing in a hurried fashion, and had sent this as quickly as they could.

Skimming through all the details, he gave one final nod, before ripping the paper off the board.

"We've got our first job, everyone," he told them. "A group of three were facing a pack of «Blood Wolves», until the leader of the pack called for more. Right now, they're being trapped, and sent this in hopes of getting out."

"Ooh… That sounds bad…" Sachi visibly shuddered just at his words. This game was live or die, and it that sort of situation, she could only imagine how difficult it is.

"But wait, I thought the wolves only spawn on the twenty-eighth floor. Isn't that where our camp is?" Asuna pointed out, all the other girls giving surprised looks.

"Then there's where we're going. Let's move out," he tilted his head to the spawning gate, and the others followed after him.

* * *

*Shing!*

"Damn, you guys are really in a pickle, huh?!" The samurai shouted as he swung his katana in multiple strokes, cutting down one after another. Man, these «Blood Wolves» are persistent.

"W-We're really sorry! We thought we were doing fine, but then they started coming in from everywhere!" The boy apologised, letting loose a «Sword Skill». "When are your friends getting back here?!"

"I don't know! Should be now, I hope!" Klein gritted his teeth, really hoping what he said comes true.

*Thwak!*

An arrow whizzed through the air, burying itself in the wolf's nape, a precise shot to kill it.

"Alright!" The man grinned, his gaze turning left. And there he was, standing with his bow produced, arrow hitched on it's string.

"Argo, help them out. Sachi, keep a distance away from them, and strike at them with your spear if possible," he instructed the girls. "Yuna, you're staying with me. Asuna, assist Klein. Let's move out!"

"Hai!" They shouted back, running off to take care of their orders.

It certainly didn't take long to finally take care of all the trouble. The small party were now saved, and Nier could finally take a breather.

The battle wasn't all that hard, to be honest. What did make it hard, was the fact that «Blood Wolves» were spawning quicker than they could kill them, so they had to take out the pack leaders first. And from there, things were easy.

Sighing, Nier stood up, making his way towards the rescued party, only to notice something.

"Nautilus! / Yuna!" The songstress was hugging the leader of the group that they rescued, and it wasn't all that hard why. With just a few seconds, his brain registered this person to be Yuna's friend, whom she had left behind to join him.

That thought both made him smile and frown. Err, feel happy and sad. Happy that she finally reunited with her friend, sad because she left her friend behind just to join him.

All because he said he was a lone player. He should seriously watch what he says…

"Yuna, where have you been? I was so worried for you!" The boy broke away from the hug, looking worried. His robes of red and white that covered his whole body was slightly dirty, possibly after all that fight. His chest-plate, greaves and vambraces looked worse for wear, and so too did his sword.

"A-Ahh… Well, I may have gotten lost somewhere along the way, to be honest…" She chuckled, sweat-dropping with slight embarrassment.

"I see… Never mind. At least you're fine now," he sighed in relief, his gaze now turning to Nier. "And you are?"

"I'm Nier, leader of the «Blank», the guild of which you posted your emergency quest to," he introduced himself, the boy giving an 'Ohh!' in response.

"I see! Well, I'm Nautilus. And thank you so much for saving us, really," he smiled back. "Seriously though, we would have been dead without you around..."

"Think nothing of it. It's our duty to help each other, naturally," the boy chuckled.

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," the older swordsman nodded, before his gaze turned to Yuna. "Man, you look great. Certainly not as I expected, but great still."

"Thanks! I've been practicing on how to help my friends out, so yeah," she giggled. Nautilus was an old friend of hers, who was the same person who had introduced her to the game. Although it was certainly their lives on the line now, she couldn't deny the fact that she was grateful to him now that she's had the chance to meet so many new faces.

"Well that's good," he hummed, before a smile came onto him once more. "So Yuna, wanna' come with me?"

"Eh?" She blinked, open smile still intact, as she tried to cope with the sudden request.

"Don't worry. I actually have good news for you," he smiled, bringing up a menu to everyone. And they saw what seemed to be a white emblem with a red cross on it.

"Wait, you're part of the «Knights of Blood»? Damn, that is something!" Klein whistled in amazement, knowing more than enough about the guild.

It was said to be the top guild, lead by a powerful man named Heathcliff. With his impregnable shield and destructive power, he had defeated more than he could count, with people citing that they've never seen his health below half. And as time grew, the guild came to become the strongest there is.

Nier was always annoyed when he heard about the guild. For some strange reason not too hard to be understood—by everyone else, that is—he wanted his guild to be better. Who wouldn't?

"Nautilus, why were you here in the first place?" Nier asked, earning the boy's attention.

"One of our officers, Godfree, wanted us to go get some wolf pelt to make some armour. So, we came here, but…" He chuckled, embarrassed for a bit. "We got outnumbered, and one thing lead to another… And we kinda' got stuck? So that's why we sent a message to you."

"I see… Well, I suppose there's nothing wrong anymore, since you're clearly fine," he coughed into his fist. "But still, I ask that you remain careful from now on. The game won't make it easy on you, after all, so stay vigilant at all times."

"R-Right. Will do, Nier," he nodded, smiling once more when he looked at his friend. "So Yuna, what do you think about joining the «Knights of Blood»? I'm sure that Heathcliff wouldn't mind."

"W-What?" Now that was enough to break her smile, as a surprised look wrote itself over her features. "N-No! That's not possible! I can't even imagine myself being part of such a guild!"

"Heathcliff is surprisingly nice. He doesn't mind anyone joining his guild, unless you're a lazy person. We've had enough of that over the past few weeks, to be honest…" He sighed at that. Seriously though, fifty people were kicked out just because they didn't do their jobs well. "So how about it? I can go ask him, if you'd like."

And before she could even retort, a hand pressed against her shoulder. She didn't jump, because she knew whose hand this was.

Looking upwards, slightly to the left, she gazed into the smiling face of Nier.

"Go," he tilted his head at the boy's way. "He clearly misses you."

"B-B-But… I'm already part of your guild, Nier…" She frowned deeply at that, not going unnoticed by the other girls and Klein. One part of the reason as to why she didn't want to leave, was because she's already made such good friends in this guild. And the other was clear to the naked eyes.

"It's fine. We may not be able to see each other much, but I promise that I'll make as much time as to visit you, I swear," he nodded, the smile still there. "Go, Yuna. Nothing's stopping you."

And yet there was something stopping her. Her own heart.

Gulping, she looked down to her feet.

"…Yeah, I'll join you Nautilus," Yuna looked up once more to stare him in the eye, cracking a smile. "I'll join your guild."

His lips parting as the corners tugged upwards, he gave her one more strong hug, pulling her away as he talked to her about some things. He and the rest of his friends waved the guild goodbye, the latter doing the same.

But the songstress turned once more, a frown visible. Nier was slightly taken aback by that. Why was she sad?

After watching the party of four disappearing, the guild decided that they'd pack up, and keep moving forwards.

Although…

"Dude, Nier! Why'd you let Yuna go?!" Klein fumed, visibly angry. Angry at what, the boy would never know.

"Why wouldn't I let her go?" He asked back, the man's anger subsiding just by a bit. But the stern gaze still remained. "Klein, she left her friend behind just to join me. She should be given the chance to be with him again."

"Well, yeah… But still, you can tell that she actually wanted to stay," he sighed.

"She did?" Now it was Nier's turn to feel surprised, and the others just looked at him in a strange way, before it all turned into a collective sigh. "What? What?"

"You know what? Just forget it…" The samurai shook his head, putting a berry into his mouth. "Where to now, Nier?"

"H-Hold up! There's something I'm clearly missing. Tell me, Klein," the boy urged his friend.

"Nope. You're going to have to solve it on your own," he snorted, earning a gasp from the boy. "You're a genius, aren't you? You should be able to solve this on your own."

"What?! G-Guys, seriously, what is going on?" His pleas fell on deaf ears, as everyone just flashed him a disbelieving look, one that turned into a sigh, before they moved forwards. "W-Wait!"

* * *

And the spectators can truly say, that Nier was certainly a person who didn't understand the matters of the heart.

He has proven, time and time again, that his intellectual capabilities far surpassed any normal man. The times when they weren't in battle, he had done some pretty amazing stuff, ranging from translating a foreign language to simple English, or solving equations faster than anyone could give him credit for.

But as aforementioned, he was someone still pure and young. He didn't know much things when it came to the heart. He had emotions, yes, but he wasn't at the point to comprehend it.

And Suguha felt shocked.

"Seriously? Yuna clearly likes him! How could he not see that?" The girl visibly fumed, Shiro looking at her strangely.

"Well, he's still not good at a lot of things. Tell him that you love him, and he'll just take it in a way of saying 'I love you' to a brother," the father of the boy chuckled, the ravenette sighing at that.

"Seriously… All those girls in the game like him. How is it that he doesn't know?" She scoffed in disbelief. All the signs were there!

Asuna was clearly smitten with him, doing all she can to impress him. Argo was openly flirtatious with him, teasing him in a way that was only considered normal between lovers. Sachi was a tad bit bashful when it came to romancing with him, but she did try. Yuna was slow and loving, supporting him throughout the whole ordeal.

In fact, if anyone had a shot at winning his heart, it would be Yuna. She's been with him since the beginning of «Sword Art Online», for crying out loud!

"You know… If all those girls like him, I may be having a lot of grandchildren!" Layla giggled, the others in the room chuckling at her words. Suguha blushed, understanding what she meant.

"I can't believe it. I've thought Asuna all that I know, yet she still—" Kyouko stopped herself from saying anymore, after seeing that glare that was aimed at her. "N-Nothing."

"I-In any case, would you guys like some tea?" Adam asked as he stood, earning nods from everyone. "Alright then! I hope you like strawberry."

"Fresh from Cameron Highlands," his wife added, the man nodded.

"Really? That's so far, though," Minetaka looked surprised. Though Malaysia and Japan weren't all that far away, a simple bus ride wasn't going to be enough to get them there.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I just have my… connections," she shook her head with a smile, the others trying to decrepit what she meant, finally giving up when they all learnt one simple fact.

That woman could be confusing as hell.

"Suguha," the girl turned to where Shiro called her. "What do you mean the girls love Nii?"

"Oh, not you too…" The black-haired girl groaned, seeing the similarities between her silver-haired friend and her brother. "It's obvious, Shiro! Yuna didn't want to leave your Nii's side because she loves him!"

"How do you tell if someone loves somebody?" She asked once more.

"Well, they're all super obvious. For one, whenever he's with the girls, they're always happy. They always think about him, don't want to leave his side, all that stuff," she shrugged. "Seriously though… To think that your brother doesn't notice all of that. He's a genius, for sure, but a dense person too. How is he going to…"

And as the conversation blurred to the little girl, she took this time to ponder on the words of her friends. So those are the signs that someone loves a person of the opposite sex?

Thinking about it, she tried relating it to herself.

Will she be happy when her brother comes back to her? Oh, yes, she told herself. She'd be overjoyed. She's always want to be with him.

Does she always think about him? Uh, no kidding. Hell, even her dreams have to do something with him! It's hard not to think about him, whether he's safe or not, and all of that.

Would she ever want to leave his side? Preposterous! Such thought was swept to the side as soon as it popped into her mind's eye. She wanted to remain with him. She waited for so long just to be with him again, there was no way in Hell she was going to leave him just like that!

And that just meant that she loved him as a brother, right?

Probably. While she herself wasn't all that different from her brother, she did know that love was limitless. Either for a friend, your husband, child, or just some random stranger. It wasn't all that bad.

So, thinking not that long about this topic once more, she settled with the fact that she loved him as her brother, and she his sister.

Though there was no blood between the two of them, they were a family. She would need to ask her father what that meant at a later time, since he's busy serving sweet-scented tea to his guests.

* * *

Three Days Later—Floor 35: Mishe

Mishe was said to be a beautiful town, build around an urban-medieval style. And now seeing it firsthand, Nier could definitely believe it.

Such a beautiful town with wide cobblestones roads, the houses build two to 5-storeys high. Since it was night time now, the lights were wide on, giving a soft hue of yellow to the streets. There were a lot of people here, no doubt, still awake despite the night.

And of course, it would have been such a nice time to enjoy the sights, were it not for the earlier incident.

'Seriously though… Everyone is so hung up on the fact that Yuna left. I was giving her a choice,' Nier mentally spoke, not trusting his thoughts to anyone right now. Although, thinking about it, it felt more like he was urging her to join the «Knights of Blood». 'No, it was the right thing to do! I know it!'

Still persistent with that thought, he asked the rest of his guild to stay back, deciding to go look for an inn to stay the night at. While they would be fine going with him, he decided against it, saying that he'd like to go alone.

Reluctant to do so, they finally agreed, thinking that he needed some to think.

And he did need to think.

Was this going to change them? Will this affect their guild heavily? In fact, he would think it has, considering how low morale was. Even during the fights against the guilds, they weren't all that motivated, instead looking like…

Like…

Like 'Uurgh, fine. I'll do it just because I have to do it' sort of thing.

That thought brought a frown to his face, going unnoticed by the random NPC's that walked the streets. No one saw that look on his face because he was busy looking down. And, oblivious to the video-virus programme installed into the servers, the spectators weren't aware of him making such a face.

Did he make a bad decision? Probably. Why else would the others be acting in such a bad way? Man, did he screw up.

"Oh man…" He groaned in displeasure, head smacked against the cobble wall of some random building. "How am I going to get her back..?"

There was no way he was going to sneak into the guild's base. From pictures, it was a seemingly large steel tower with tight security. Plus, getting one to leave a guild required permission from the guild leader, so that was out.

Sneaking her out would indefinitely bring trouble upon him. His guild would be hunted down by «Knights of Blood» members, and he certainly didn't want to cause any of his friends any more trouble.

Yeesh, did things turn out bad.

Sighing in discontent, he resumed his walk, deciding to just look for the inn. Though, it did leave a sour feeling in his gut, so he hoped just as much that sleep would at least dull it the next day, if not completely rid it.

He soon came up upon a large building nearby an item shop, with at least two floors. The 'Weathercock Pavilion', its name was. This must have been the place.

A large restaurant on the first floor, a living quarters on the second. That should work.

Typing a quick message to his guild, everyone else soon arrived, all bearing surprised looks. They hadn't expect for it to be a restaurant as well. It was certainly grande, considering how fancy it was on the inside.

"Well, guys, wanna' have a quick dinner before we hit the hay?" He asked, though he could tell that none of them were feeling up to it.

"It's cool, Nier. I think all of us are really tired," to get his message across, a yawn left the samurai's lips. The boy nodded.

"Okay. We'll eat tomorrow, then," he spoke, everyone giving their own nods.

Entering the building, it was a fancy restaurant with many four-seater tables, and a counter with a bartender off to the side. A mighty golden chandelier hung from the ceiling in the centre, acting as the main lights, with small candles on each table.

Although, they weren't exactly in the mood for some food right now, so they went up the stairs somewhere to the left of the entrance, where it took them to the living quarters. Nier returned after some time, saying that he paid for a room each.

Bidding each other a good night, they turned in for the day, hoping that the next day would be better.

And they each hoped that Yuna would be fine.


	7. Chapter 6

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 6: We're Doing This Together'`

 _Nier was a powerful individual in the gaming world of «Sword Art Online», and was deemed a king by the people._

 _And yet, a king rules not his own castle, but a country of the masses._

 _And amongst those of whom that has supported him, that has lived on to become one of his strongest allies and companions, was Yuna, known to those close to her as Shigemura Yuuna._

 _And when fate had taken her away from him, from the friends of whom she's forged strong bonds with, she had fought against it all to return to her beloved. To be known as a member of the «Blank»._

* * *

She was certainly unhappy. She knew it, the friends of her friend knew, and the people of the world that watched what was going with her knew.

Apparently, Adam and Layla had been sent requests from the manager of RECT-inc, i.e. Asuna's father, to broadcast what was going on with Yuna. The people were both curious and worried what was going on with her, and were dying to know ever since that pretty cliche departure.

Just great. Rather than knowing what was going on inside the game, it had been turned into a drama series.

Still, Adam saw no reason so to not comply. The only one who disagreed was Kyouko, who wanted to continue watching her daughter. With some reassuring from her husband, and some teasing from Adam himself, she supposed it was fine.

And as such, everyone decided to watch how everyone's favourite songstress would turn out.

* * *

Floor 55: Granzam

The day she had departed from her guild, the emblem of absolutely nothing—no kidding, Nier had decided to keep the emblem entirely grey, just for the sake of it—had disappeared from beside her name on the health bar, only making her frown. She was going to miss them all.

And especially Nier.

There was no questioning it. She was infatuated with him. Although Nautilus didn't know, she was conflicted between wanting to just go back, or to remain with her friend.

Then she thought, what would happen if she remained here?

Being a part of the «Knights of Blood» was going to suck. Seriously though, just to remain part of it, she would need to work hard, unlike being part of «Blank», which was just a small guild of friends tied together by strong bonds. Here, however, it was composed of random strangers, all of whom were fighting on the front lines to leave the game.

That had her wondering. What could she do?

"So Yuna," the girl was snapped out of her reverie when her friend, Nautilus, called her. "What weapon have you been using all this time?"

"O-Oh! Well, uhh…" She chuckled, not entirely sure if he'd be fine with her answer. No matter, she supposed it was better than nothing. "I… didn't really fight?"

"Wait, what?" He stopped, blinking in confusion. "Then _what_ have you been doing?"

"Nier instructed me to stay away from the field of danger, and act as the supporter," she answered, pulling out her harp. "I've played and sung so to give boosts to the others, such as strength and defense."

"Whoa, that sounds cool," one of his friends spoke, the other nodding in agreement.

"Okay, but… that's gonna' bring up some complications," he sighed, scratching the nape of his neck. "I mean, I'm fine with you not fighting, but I'm worried about you."

"Why is that?" She asked, putting it away.

"I mean, what if we get into a dangerous situation and can't be there to protect you?" His words had her eyes growing wide in an instant, and she understood what he meant.

Unlike in the «Blank», where everyone fought together to defend and assist each other, even in grim situations, a normal guild or party ran under the rule 'look out for yourself, and switch'. That was how Nier saw it, she remembered, and she could tell that he disliked that way.

She herself came to dislike it too. Instead, he made sure that everyone were fighting altogether, so to keep the enemies on their toes, and to be ready for any sudden changes in the flow of battle.

She was safe. But this time, she would need to keep herself safe.

"So, judging by the equipment on you, and I bet that you're an AGI-based build…" Nautilus hummed as he thought, foot tapping the ground a few until a snap of his fingers had her looking at him once more, his smile bright and large. "You'll be a rapier-wielder!"

"Eh?" She blinked back.

* * *

The headquarters were certainly imposing. She actually thought that she was going to faint the moment she stepped foot inside there. Guards were positioned everywhere, delivering a strong 24-hour security system, with spears and shields on hand. Floors of polished tiles decorated the building, with pillars at each side looking ready to consume her at any given time.

She didn't want to be here. And what was going on only strengthened that.

"No! I don't want to!" She kept the hat away from Nautilus's grasps, keeping it close to her chest. As if it were some piece of treasure, he thought.

And he was right. Nier gave it to her, after all.

She was now dressed in fitting white and red befitting of a member of the «Knights of Blood». A chance to meet with Heathcliff filled her with awe, slowly turning into dread when he said that she needed to part with her current equipment.

Of course, they weren't actually going to throw it away. She would just need to wear this new armour.

But then it just had to come to her hat.

She would do anything. She would throw away her weapon, she would strip herself bare, she would do anything. Anything _but the hat_.

"Yuna, there's better hats around here. We can just make you a new one," he reasoned with her, but she stuck out her tongue, pointing it at him.

"No! I'm keeping this, no matter what!" This was the only thing she had to remind herself of Nier and her friends. Nothing was going to make her not wear it.

"S-Sorry about this Godfree. Is it alright if she keeps it?" The boy apologised to a friendly brunette, whose smile had not left him since this morning.

"Hey, it's fine! If the lady wants to keep it so much, then let her," he laughed, the girl in question sighing in relief.

"Right. So, uhh, sorry. About the hat," Nautilus spoke, apologetic.

"It's fine," she shook her head. Her eyes fell onto the rapier on her left hip, and she wondered if this was going to work. "So… I should begin training, right?"

"Yup! And to get you started, I'll have Nautilus take you to the training grounds. If you need anything, just tell him what's up, and he'll get you what you need," the friendly man's instructions were loud and clear, and she gave a nod.

"Alright. Well then, Nautilus, take me with you," she spoke, smiling. He returned the gesture with a grin of his own, taking her by the arm.

Maybe things here aren't too bad?

* * *

She spoke too soon.

*Thud!*

"Aah..!" Yuna fell against the ground for the umpteenth time, her rapier knocked away to the side. 'Oh man…'

Arriving at the training grounds, she was surprised to see so many players up and about, sparring against one another. Nautilus had found for her a supposedly 'easy' player, who was also new to fighting.

And, well, the results of the battle are as shown above.

"S-Sorry about that!" The other girl yelped in worry, rushing over to her side to pull her up. "Are you alright?"

"N-No, it's fine," she shook her head with a smile, though she could see how worried Nautilus looked from the sidelines.

"You sure? I may have used a bit too much force back there," the girl gulped.

"It's fine, Strea, really. You were just doing what you were told," she chuckled. The purplette before her can be self-blaming to a fault sometimes. Plus, she was cute, so even if she did get mad at her, there was no way she could stay mad at her. "I want to keep going."

"Are you sure? We can take a break if you'd like," the newly-named Strea offered, but her training partner denied it.

"No! I want to keep practicing, so come at me!" She raised her rapier towards the girl before her once more, and the purple-haired girl sighed.

"Fine… But don't get mad at me if you fall again," she spoke with chuckles, before brandishing her sword towards Yuna.

A small pause, as the two girls eyed each other's body movements, holding their swords in a defensive stance in case the other made the first move, and pacing to their right, as the two formed a circular motion.

Nautilus, who had been watching everything from the side, wouldn't lie that he was amazed at just how his friend had come along. So quickly she was growing stronger, but she was still far away from the level of a rookie, no less. She would certainly need to try hard if she wants a shot at winning.

*Fwoo!*

"Hyah!" Strea was the one to kick it off, rushing towards her opponent with her simple iron blade. Powering it up, she launched it straight at Yuna, who deftly dodged the attack. She tried to get a stab at her, but the purplette blocked it.

"Hrhh…" Grumbling, Yuna tried once more to get a hit at Strea, but the latter was clearly more experienced, blocking and dodging her attacks without needing to keep track of her movements.

Strea activated a «Sword Skill», going in for the kill. Just barely, her opponent managed to parry her attack, but she still failed to hit her, as she was too slow in trying to do so. With a powerful swing, the purple-haired swords woman broke through her opponent's guard, tossing the rapier aside yet again, blade an inch away from the brunette's throat.

They stayed that way for a few seconds, before the blade retracted away from her. The frown that came on her face was quick.

"Well, that makes it my eighteenth loss, huh?" Yuna sighed, now understanding why Nier never gave her a weapon. She was extremely bad with it.

"Hey, don't feel so down. You were doing really great back there!" Strea opted to reassuring her, a smile plastered on her features. "You're more quicker now, and can successfully parry too! So don't feel so blue."

"Still, it's not going to do me any good if I can't properly hold my rapier against a person, let alone something so easy like a «Frenzy Boar»," she used to wonder whether or not she could really fight just as well as Asuna, or even Sachi, who has definitely improved since she's left her old guild. Unfortunately, it looked more like a pipe dream now.

"Just keep trying, Yuna-chan! I promise you, you'll do great next time!" The younger girl said—she had introduced herself and her age before their fight before. "Trust me. One moment you're… like now, the next moment, you'll be kicking butt on your own."

"Haha, thanks," though it certainly sounded impossible, the sentiment was definitely appreciated.

The two girls wanted to speak further, but with Godfree making a boxing gesture meant that they need to continue practicing. Great, Yuna thought, this was going to be a long day.

* * *

An Hour Later

A whole hour of training. To those who lived on the front lines, it sounded like child's play. To someone who's never held a sword her whole life, say for example, Yuna…

'That was terrible…' Her eyes had been replaced with swirls at this point, hungry and tired beyond words. Never did she expect training to be this strenuous!

After Strea and Nautilus helped her to the canteen, which was a wide space with cobble pillars just outside, multiple tables and seats of stone, and a counter of which one could purchase their food from, the boy made quick work so to buy each of them a piece of bread and hot soup.

The scent of food slowly got her to rise her head from the table, to take the spoon and to scoop up the soup, before she placed it in her mouth. It was delicious, no doubt, but not as good as Asuna's cooking.

Still, it was food, and she wasn't going to waste it.

Knowing that the girl was probably too tired to even talk, Nautilus and Strea ate in relative silence, enjoying each other's company just like that. Yuna herself appreciated this, but couldn't help but think as if she was being selfish.

Taking notice of her frown, Strea raised her voice.

"Hey guys, do we have any missions to go on tomorrow?" She asked, the boy sitting opposite of the two girls shaking his head.

"None as I can think of. We're just going to be doing regular training and the like for the whole day tomorrow," he shook his head, earning a grateful sigh from Yuna. He chuckled at her. "Yeah, I can understand you. It's going to be tiring."

"No kidding… I thought I was going to die just from exhaustion today…" That thought was equally stressful as it was stupid. Just a bed was going to make her day.

"True. And hey, how was it? Using a rapier?" He was curious about that part, wondering if she was really comfortable wielding it.

"Oh, it's fine. I just need to get used to it," she answered. "Seriously though, I thought it was going to be easy. Everyone else certainly made it look that way."

"Mmhm. That's just how it is. You just need to get used to it after some time," he agreed with her, knowing how long it took for him to just use a «Sword Skill» after getting his first sword. Three days, to be exact. "So don't worry too much. I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Okay, if you say so," she's already heard enough of that from Strea. She didn't need Nautilus to be saying the same thing to her. "So, where are our rooms?"

"Mmm, the living quarters for the girls are east from here. You can go and register yourself a room there if you don't have a house of your own," he informed her.

"Or!" Strea suddenly interjected with a bright grin. "You could sleep with me! I have a really big bed! It'll be fun!"

While she would rather not trouble her with such, the exhaustion made her say otherwise.

"Yeah, if you say so," she nodded. Screw it. She was really tired, okay? "Thanks."

"No problem!" Her smile only grew wider.

After finishing their lunch, the three friends parted ways, with Nautilus travelling west from the cafeteria, and the girls walking in the opposite direction towards the female's wing.

The main building in the centre consisted of a sort of plaza, with a training ground north of it. Taking the stairs upwards in the main building would take the people to the meeting hall, where Heathcliff's office was situated at. To the left and right were the living quarters for males and females respectively.

The living quarters were slightly smaller, but still enough to hold at least a hundred people per building. Strea considered herself lucky enough to get herself one room. Usually, one would be taken faster than she could scream 'I did it'!

After requesting for her keys, the NPC at the counter close to the entrance gave the purple-haired girl her keys. The two of them walked to where Strea's room was, which was on the second floor, down the corridor.

Twisting the key in the keyhole of the door, there was a click, before the door opened. Stepping into it, they were granted a view of a nice bed fit for two people, with a desk and a table light on it. There was also an armoire beside it, windows close to where the bed was to give a view to the forest that surrounded the buildings.

"Wow… Your room is so nice," Yuna blinked, genuinely amazed.

"Thanks! Godfree always says that we have to keep our rooms tidy on our own, since no one's going to come over and clean it for us," she chuckled. "So hey, can we do a little bit of getting-to-know-each-other? For tonight?"

"I don't mind," the girl spoke as she sat on the bed, resisting the urge to just fall asleep there and then. Her younger friend came over, sitting beside her. "So, what would you like to talk about?"

"I wanna' know more about you, Yuna-chan," she spoke without holding back, earning a curious look from the brunette. "You said you were part of another guild before this?"

"Hmm? Ahh… Right. Yeah, you're right," she nodded, missing the old days already, despite it being just one day. "It was the «Blank», a guild formed by a friend of mine. I met him back when I first entered «Sword Art Online»."

"I see… What was his name again?" She asked once more.

"His name is Nier. And, I'd like to think that he's the most amazing person I've ever met in my whole life," she chuckled, falling onto her back. The tire really made her do it, really.

"What was he like?" The younger girl joined her friend, purple hair splayed everywhere.

"He was… nice. Very nice. Serious at times, but very understanding. He's caring to a fault, always looking out for others every time. He's also really smart. While he does speak English, I've seen him translate Egyptian," that elicited a surprised look from her friend, Yuna chuckling in response.

"Wow. And do you have any other friends there?" Strea was curious about her friend. Being part of the «Blank» sounded nice.

"A lot. There was Klein, Asuna, Sachi, Argo… I miss all of them," she finished with a sigh.

"…Do you want to go back?" That sudden question had been on the girl's mind for quite some time now, so it made sense why she didn't even react to it much. Instead, she opted for silence, thinking. The purple-haired girl just waited for her response.

"I do," she admitted after a long pause, probably a whole minute. "I miss them all so dearly. I just feel so alive with them around… I mean, I don't want to leave Nautilus, but I want to stay with them…"

She was conflicted between the choices before her; either she returns to her previous guild, leaving Nautilus behind, or remain in the «Knights of Blood», never to see them again.

That last part scared her immensely. She couldn't imagine not seeing any of her friends ever again. She loved them dearly, and the thought only sunk the weight in her stomach even further down. It was difficult to choose, and the pressure from it all almost made her want to scream in frustration.

"Then… you should go," Strea's voice broke the silence after a while, earning herself a confused look from her new friend. "What? I mean, you should do what you want. If you want to go with them, you should return to them!"

"But… I can't just leave Nautilus behind," she frowned at that, not daring to leave him so soon.

"I know. Which is why, we should take him with us!" She grinned. Yuna took a moment to understand her words, and her eyebrow cocked upwards.

"Wait, _us_?" That part told her all there was to understand.

"Yup! I mean, you and Nau-Nau," a nickname she had conjured for the boy, something of which her older friend found both cute and hilarious. "Are both the only friends I have here. If you're going, I want to come with!"

"W-Well… I doubt it'd be that simple," she scratched her face, thinking about it. "I mean, we'd need Heathcliff's permission first and foremost. And also, what if Nautilus doesn't want to leave?"

"That's the thing, he would!" She beamed at her friend, deciding to clarify further when the brunette's eyebrows furrowed together. "I talked to him once and asked him that exact situation too. What if you were in another guild and didn't want to leave? He said that he'd join you!"

…Really now?

Realising that leaving the guild was practically pointless all this while, Yuna turned herself around so to plant her face in the bed's body, before literally screaming, voice muffled by the soft bed. Strea waited for her friend to finish that screaming fit, and when she did stop, she turned around once more.

"So I left Nier, for absolutely no reason whatsoever," she monotoned with a blank look, earning a nod from her purple-haired friend. She sighed in response, feeling silly for being worried about this in the first place. "Well, that does it. I'm going back to the «Blank», one way or another."

"Truly? Well, if you're going, then I'll come with you as well!" She nodded. "Ooh, but Heathcliff said that, if we want to leave, we need to take a test of his to do so."

"A test? Oh, come on…" She was so close to just losing it. Thankfully, she's developed enough patience after falling into so many unfavourable situations. "Well, fine. I'll do it. But for now, let's just sleep on it…"

"Okay!" She cried back, large grin.

* * *

A Week Later

A lot of time has passed, and Yuna's heart only continued to sing how much she missed the boy of her dreams. Never had she wanted to be with him before, but now was one of those times.

She and Strea had taken a quick trip to Heathcliff's office, asking him about this supposed test to leave the guild. He stated that, were one to leave the «Knights of Blood», then they'd need to defeat one of their officers, namely Godfree, Daizen, and etc.

Of course, it was easier than said. Both of them, just the other day, had gone on a mission with Godfree, and seeing him in battle was like watching the main protagonist in an action movie fight. With his battle axe he dominated the battle field, defeating any mobs quicker than they could together.

It was a given. If they wanted a shot at getting out of there, they needed to train. _Hard_.

As such, Yuna had taken to requesting for special training that would help her grow stronger quickly from Nautilus, who was rather surprised by her sudden determination, but complied with a smile.

And as such, they went out on missions more often as of late, taking down monsters and with Yuna trying to get used to her weapon. It was difficult, but soon enough, she was capable of taking down at least two «Dire Wolves».

Now that's a good start.

"Hey Yuna-chan!" Strea shouted as she parried the «Drunken Ape's» attack, switching with Nautilus. "There's one on your left!"

"Got it!" She nodded back, jumping to the side to avoid the powerful blow. She was told that the monkey-like mobs were extremely powerful, possessing low speed as their bane. As such, it was better for her to dodge them if she wasn't adept at parrying just yet.

Crouching to avoid another swing, she thrust forwards, piercing her blade through the ape's body. She left a bright gash there, but it only cut its health down by a quarter. Clicking her tongue, she jumped back, before dealing a four-hit combo onto the creature.

*Rhrha!*

The ape swung its mighty flask around itself, before slamming it into the ground. It didn't hit its target, but she was sent staggering slightly. Still, she managed to steady herself properly, going in for the kill yet again.

With a loud battle cry, she propelled herself into the air, falling down quickly with her blade aimed straight at the creature's body.

*Shing!*

The blade penetrated past its skin and flesh, eliciting a painful screech from the creature. She remained atop the creature, and it stayed that way, until its body contracted, popping into colours and shards that flew into the air. Yuna landed on her rump, but the pain was never there.

And by rump, she was caught in the arms of her friend, who looked at her with a look of amazement.

"See? You're getting better at things," he offered her a smile, and she easily returned the gesture.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she nodded, not entirely embarrassed. Yes, it was rather sudden, but this was nothing compared to being with… Never mind.

Setting her down, Nautilus was knocked to the side when Strea came out of nowhere, delivering a bear hug to her friend, who appreciated nonetheless.

She loved these two.

* * *

Three Days Later

Practicing even more now, Yuna found herself satisfied with her capabilities.

She could no longer be called an amateur anymore. Though she was improving slowly, others could now say that she was on the level of average rapier-wielders, and that was good enough.

She'd be able to defend herself and others when the time comes.

But then came the other problem; her primary ability to act as the support.

Ever since she's been here, she's had to focus on using her rapier. Wouldn't this affect her fighting capabilities when she goes back to her previous guild? Their need of her as their buffer could be ruined then, and she wouldn't want that. She wanted to be useful in any way possible.

So she hoped that, when she does go back, they would find a way to make things work. She couldn't just stand back and do nothing. Even as a singer, she's provided buffs and other effects, so not doing anything would just feel wrong.

No matter. She'll figure it all out some time later.

In any case, she needed to bring up the topic to Nautilus. God knows how he'd feel if she suddenly decided to leave one day without telling him.

On her way there, chatting with her friend, who was as bubbly as ever—seriously though, how do mornings not get to her? She's so energetic—she crossed paths with a creepy-looking member of the guild.

Aah, _him_.

"Kuradeel," she regarded him as she passed the man, not bothering to spare him a glance. Rumours about him often torturing any of their captives had reached almost everywhere, and gave him a bad name.

"Hmph. You must be the amateur I've heard about so much," he scoffed, turning around to look at her. She kept her back facing him. "They say you're pretty, but I can see that you aren't all that skilled."

"And I don't waste my time stalking others, wanting to find the appropriate time to pounce on them with a knife in hand," she shot back, aiming a glare at him past her shoulder. He flinched slightly, before she walked away.

And the satisfactory smile that etched itself onto both girls' faces as they walked away felt _so_ good.

* * *

The Next Night

"W-We really shouldn't…" Nautilus whimpered, face displaying slight worry.

"Ssh… It's fine," the brunette reassured him, dragging him forwards.

"Aah… What if we get caught?" He asked his friend, voice coming out in a slight whimper.

"Don't worry! I always use this pathway to leave the guild at night! Trust me, they'll never see us leave!" Strea's voice burst from in front of them, who wore a really large smile.

"Uurgh… If only I had half of your optimism…" He sighed.

The group of three were supposed to be asleep by now, but Yuna needed to speak to Nautilus about something that she regarded as incredibly important. And as such, she requested that Strea find someplace for the three of them to leave the guild through so to not get caught.

There was no doubt that the guards that were doing patrols around the base would be lenient enough to just let them go. Apparently, this place had curfews for those who lived in its quarters.

So unfair, if you asked Strea.

Anyways, our three teenagers were quick to leaving the area, deciding to enter the city Granzam and look for a place that was far away from the «Knights of Blood» headquarters. And not long enough, they found a suitable place to have their discreet conversation at.

A public restaurant.

"You say that this talk is really important, but are you fine talking about it in such an open place..?" The only boy of the group whispered to his brown-haired friend, who waved him off with a smile.

"Don't worry. As long as we keep our voices and ourselves low, I don't think anyone will be hearing us," she nodded in reassurance. Her friend relaxed a bit at that.

"I see… So, what is it that you wanted to talk about, Yuna?" He asked, leaning forwards. Her brown eyes were just so… pretty!

So pretty, in fact, that he almost lost himself in staring at those brown pupils, until Strea cleared her throat. He blinked, regaining his focus with a slight blush.

"Yuna-chan wants to go back to her old guild," she answered simply. The boy took a bit of time to register her words, before a gasp shot forth.

"W-W-What?! But I thought you were fine with joining the «Knights of Blood»!" He basically shouted, earning himself a few shushes from the other patrons of the restaurant. "S-Sorry..!"

"I know, I know… But I realised that, after all this time, this guild doesn't really fit me. In fact, the only time I've ever really felt so safe or alive was back when I was with the «Blank». I can't stay here, Nautilus. I wouldn't be able to stay calm if I'm away from them otherwise," she shook her head with a sigh. "I miss them, Nautilus, but I don't want to leave you or Strea here. So please, come with me."

"W-Well, I don't actually mind. In fact, I wouldn't mind following you everywhere you go," he scratched his neck as he chuckled, face slightly flushed, before his facial expression turned slightly worried. "But you know more than I do that we'd have to fight an officer. But all of them are super strong."

"You're right. And I realised that, if we want to really win them in a duel, we'd need to enact our own strategy," and now her smirk came to her, fully activated as it displayed all the determination she had in her. "A trump card of our own, to beat them."

Both Nautilus and Strea never had a glimpse of an idea of what she had in mind, and what she said really took the cake.

She believed herself to be a part of «Blank», and will fight as one, until the very end.

* * *

The Next Day

"You're slow, girl. Those who wield the rapier need to be faster," Kuradeel, the ugly man—he's literally called that by those who don't know his name, to the point where it became his own title—chided without so much as holding back the poison from seeping into his words.

"Understood," the songstress knew that her attacks were lacking in speed. Not being accustomed to a weapon for so long was enough to do that to her, even though this was just a game. Still, he didn't have to be such a pain about it.

"You say that, yet I see no improvements. You are still willing to remain in the «Knights of Blood», aren't you?" And that was more than enough to force him to laugh, wicked and unrestrained. "Bah, preposterous! This guild would do better to be rid of you for good! You'd just stain its name!"

"Then do so," she shot back, not missing the look of surprise on his face. "I wouldn't actually mind leaving this guild, to be honest."

In fact, if she was able to leave the guild without needing to take the test, it would make things so much easier. She wouldn't need to fight anyone, and it would be her free ticket home. Sure, people could brand her as a failure, but nothing meant much to her besides being able to join «Blank» once more.

That was the most important thing to her right now. To be with Nier and her friends just as she used to. She dreaded the day she left her guild, and now dreamed of the day she would return to them.

Ceasing her training for now, she allowed her hand to brush away the trickle of sweat on her brow. Staring at the man without so much as shying away from his scowl, she gave him a shrug.

"I really meant what I said, Kuradeel. If I could just leave this guild, then I would take the offer just as that. I wouldn't mind at all," she repeated, taking a canteen of water from Strea, who came from the cafeteria. "Thanks."

"No problem!" She nodded back.

"Tch. And why's that? Do you think the guild unworthy to house you? You should be grateful that they even allowed you to step foot into its territory in the first place," the ugly man snorted, hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Not at all. I merely wish to return to my old guild. I'm happier there, and I miss them all dearly," she answered. He tried scanning her eyes for any traces of a lie. Nothing. "Forgive me if I sounded harsh, but I am merely speaking my mind."

"Hah. And you do know that you'd have to take the test?" He crossed his arms, taking her words to be some form of idiocy. Who wouldn't? Thousands would kill to be part of the «Knights of Blood»! And before him stood a girl who wanted to leave it. Practically unheard of. "You alone won't live long enough to see light."

"Yeah, we know. That's why Nau-Nau and I are going with her," Strea butted into their little argument, the man's eyes going wide. "Yup! Where Yuna-chan goes, Nau-Nau and I follow!"

"Please don't say that to every stranger you meet, though. They may get the wrong message," she chuckled, abashed.

"Hmph. Well, good luck with that," the man left the training field soon enough, but the clashing of iron swords rung from behind him. The girls had decided to get in on some training, it seems. 'You'll need it…'

* * *

That Night

"So you're saying that Nier created this special… «Paradigm Shift»?" The boy's question was met with a nod from his friend. "I see. So, it's to assign a specific role to each member of the guild in battle?"

"Indeed. And each role leans into one specific category. To deal as much damage as possible, to create openings for the others, to defend your teammates, to provide boons to allies, to pass down status ailments on the enemy, and to heal your team," Yuna took her time to explain this strange concept to both her friends, who looked at her as if she was cheating the game.

Which, to be honest, she had felt so many times whenever they used that battle style.

It was certainly more effective than a simple three-man party that the game had made their primary battle stance, and was clearly difficult to beat. With this, she had no doubts that they'd be able to beat an officer during the test, and ultimately leave the guild.

"The «Commando», «Ravager», «Sentinel», «Synergist», «Saboteur», and «Medic». It was hard to really take it all in at first, but as time passed, we just got used to the concept. Although, it was kinda' hard to remember all the formulas," she chuckled. Seriously, how does Nier come up with such crazy names like 'Cerberus' or 'Dirty Fighting'?

"I see…" And though he said that, she could tell that he was having a lot of trouble just to absorb all of that. Strea's confusion was more visible, as her eyebrows were furrowed downwards. "What about you? What role were you?"

"Well, I was two things. A «Synergist» and «Medic»," she answered, pulling out her wooden harp. She still kept it with her, no matter what. Just like her hat, it was every bit precious to her. "I never fought on the front, so they had me heal and give boosts to them."

"Whoa, that sounds cool!" Strea smiled. "Oh hey, do you think I could be the «Ravager»? I think I can do that!"

"Sure. You just need to be really good at parrying, dodging and the like. You can't protect, that's what Nier said, because it's going to interfere with your speed," his words were pretty confusion, but she soon came to understand it as they entered more battles.

Each time the player blocked an attack, the system ensures that the player absorbs a part of the damage, and converts it so to cut down the health. It is during this time that the player undergoes a short pause in their movements, making them unable to immediately run away, unless they reacted quickly enough to parry. It made so much sense.

And this was what was so important if someone wanted to become a «Ravager». They had to always stay on their feet, as Nier had noted once again, and be able to switch roles at any time so to defend the other. Or, at the very least, keep the net flow of damage on the enemy consistent.

Why's that? Because, apparently, there was a combo system in the game. And, whenever the combo passed every tenth interval, the damage output was boosted by a significant amount. As long as the «Ravager» continues assaulting the enemy, the combo will continue to grow, lessening the chance of it dropping to zero, which would require the players to build it up once more.

Wow, he really thought ahead about it.

"In any case, what do you guys think? Think we've got a shot at this?" Nautilus finally asked as he pondered on the thought for a while, looking both serious and concerned. "We're not going to be facing off against some amateur. The «Knights of Blood» officers could be called the guild's pillars, being extremely capable both in and off battle. We're going to have to be really precise about this."

"You're right… As much as I like to think this would be easy, it does feel as if the odds are stacked against us…" Strea nodded, sharing her own concerns on the matter. There was an unnatural frown on her face, not going well with her at all. "But then… It's all up to you, Yuna-chan. Whatever you say, we'll do it."

"Guys…" Seriously though, she thought, what did she do to have such loyal friends?

Nautilus, who had always stuck with her, always there to lend her an ear both in this world and the real one, before they got separated. He never went against her wishes, and would follow her to world's end if she ever commanded him to.

Strea, the person who carried their morale on her smiles and heart. She never failed to lift their spirits, and had done everything she could to help her, even from the beginning of the day. Just what would she have done without her?

Sighing, Yuna shook her head as a grateful smile graced her features.

"Well… Since you're asking me, I'd still like to take the test. I am deadly serious about this," she answered back, awaiting their answer. Even then, their smiles told her everything that she needed to know.

"We'll join you," the both of them spoke in unison, looking at one another for a moment. And their friend, finding this to be amusing, fell into a soft laughing fit. And the other two joined her as well.

* * *

Three Days Later

The people in the real world would say that Yuna had indefinitely grown to become such a respected rapier-wielder, despite not entirely being on the level of other fighters. In fact, her primary skill, singing, had basically made it impossible for her and her group to lose to anything, no matter what.

Anyways, the group of three now stood before Heathcliff, who was draped in red and white robes, looking at them with an amused look from behind his desk.

"We'd like to take the test to leave the «Knights of Blood» guild," Yuna pulled out a paper from her inventory, placing it on his desk. It was the registration for the battle, with her and her friends' signatures down on the bottom part of the paper.

"Hmm, I see. However, I must warn you that, should you to wish to rejoin this guild, I must keep my doors closed to you in the future. I cannot risk any… complications, if you will," he explained, a sad smile plastered on his face.

It's happened a few times. Whenever a player left the guild, they came back. While Heathcliff was relatively fine with it in the beginning, there was a slight cut in the number of players. Examining this trend only revealed a shocking truth; those that returned were members of «Laughing Coffin».

A self-proclaimed red guild, as they would. A guild composed of madmen who make it their mission to kill every other players there are. They basically rank first on the 'most dangerous peoples' list, yet they continue to evade investigation and danger from the other guilds like cunning foxes.

They were so dangerous, in fact, that a bounty was sent out for each head from that guild, with quite the loot in return. Dead or alive, Heathcliff commanded that they be captured, no matter what.

Damn PoH. He and his corrupted mindset had spread to the other players, making them just as tainted as he was.

Yuna understood this, and gave a bow.

"Of course. I swear that once I leave this guild, I shall never return," her tone was professional, almost like she was swearing an oath. "And if I were to be honest with you, Heathcliff-sama, I intend to leave this guild to return to the one of which I came from."

"Truly? And which guild is that?" He was honestly curious with her answer.

"It's not entirely a large guild. It's a rather small one. The «Blank»," it was only for a brief second, but she could have sworn that his eyes widened a bit at that. Or maybe not. She didn't sleep early last night, so that could have just been her imagining it. "I've made friends there, and… I've realized that it's the only place where I feel that I truly belong. So, by my family's name and my own, I will win and leave this guild, no matter what it takes. That, I can promise you."

"I see. Very well then. The test will begin this evening once all the training regimen is over," he nodded. "Also, you are permitted to choose which officer you'd like to face off against. Please excuse me for a moment…"

He dug through the multiple rows of his desk, pulling out a file with several names. Handing it to her, she flipped through it, seeing new and old names, before she instinctively stopped at one.

The ugly man. Kuradeel.

'Vengeance tastes sweet,' the girl remembered Strea, an honestly sweet girl, saying such a shocking thing once. But even the urge to fight him won her in the end, and she placed it on the desk, leaving his picture open. "I'd like to fight against him."

"I see. Kuradeel? I must say, he's not an easy opponent, but who am I to deny you?" He shrugged, snapping his fingers. A guard came to his side, his bare face revealing a long scar from his left eye to the right part of his lower jaw. "Call him, please."

"As you say," he nodded, walking away. Shutting the door behind him, the leader of the guild waited until his footsteps disappeared completely.

"Well then, there isn't much I can do, but wish you luck," the man nodded at the three teenagers, the brunette smiling back with confidence. She supposed Nier's attitude had rubbed off on her quite a bit.

"Of course," she turned, her friends trailing after her. 'I've grown. I won't lose this time.'

* * *

That Evening

The duel, though relatively small compared to the clearers going off on a skirmish to take the floor's boss down, had attracted so many people's attention. There was already a poll going off on the internet on who of the two swords-wielders were going to win, and many were placing their faith on Yuna. No one was going to bet for the 'ugly man'.

The people in the real world were cheering for her, but she'd never get the chance to hear them. Instead, she settled with the words of motivation from her friends, and the slight looks of faith from the other members of the «Knights of Blood». Maybe she's never really fought with them for so long, but they were comrades nonetheless.

And of course, things weren't looking relatively nice for Kuradeel.

'Damn it… She gets all the support, and all that I receive is dirt talk from the other players… Pathetic,' he sneered in his mind, wanting to just beat the crap out of her. And when that happens, he was going to _so_ enjoy it.

Arriving at the training field, wide and cold—since the night air was beginning to round up—previously unlit lamps around the area glowed, giving an illuminance to the area. The field could be seen clearly, and the duel would be the same.

Yuna stood on one side, rapier in hand, with her friends on either sides.

Kuradeel was on the opposite area, sporting that same bastardly look. He wasn't even trying, was he?

"So, you've chosen me out of all the possible candidates? I wonder why," he snickered, surprisingly undisturbed with the fact that he had to go up against three players at once. There must be some trick he has up his sleeve.

"Because, by far, you seem to be the greatest challenge there was. Plus, you had been kind enough to instruct us so far, so I may as well show you how much I've grown," she answered, no trace of hesitation.

But the others in the area, and possibly the whole world, could agree that her words roughly translated to 'you're the greatest bastard there was' and 'I may as well kick your ass'.

Of course, the girl was never one to swear. Heavens no, her father forbade it. Were she ever frustrated, she would get rid of it by thinking of things she likes.

Pastries, puppies, games, her father, and so many things. But ever since she's been here, well, I think you'd know _who_ she thinks of.

"Hmph. Fine. I may as well. Although, you wouldn't mind if I bring with me a friend?" That was the part where his eyes came to a narrowing state, focused solely on her.

*Snap!*

The snap of the fingers being her cue, a red-haired woman came forth from the sidelines, sporting an hourglass figure with her hair tied in a ponytail, one of her eyes covered by the bangs. She had such a seductive grin on her face, her spear acting as a constant reminder to anyone so to not mess with her.

Standing beside him, she planted the butt of her spear into the earth.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am Rosalia, a new member of the «Knights of Guild». A pleasure to meet you," the woman gave a curtsey at the younger players, all of whom were looking at her warily.

"And the same for us," the brunette spoke back.

She wanted to complain, but then decided against it. This was fair, is it not? Three against two. At least it wouldn't be so bad as three against one.

"Alright, everybody!" Godfree's voice boomed from where he stood, which was outside of the training field. Man, he was loud. "The rules of the match is for each player to be nicked down to a health just below half! Once so, you're out! You may use anything, so long as it's not potions or status ailment items! The party of which its players remain standing the last wins the match!"

So all they needed to do was to make sure that their opponents' health bars went down half? Got it.

"Okay, if you'd please!" And he was silent right after.

Being the supposed leader of this mini-group, Yuna sent a duel request to Kuradeel, who accepted it without so much as blinking. A large timer popped up from above them, beginning to count down from thirty.

Rosalia didn't look all that worried, merely giving her weapon a few test swings before positioning herself in a ready stance. Her partner brandished his much more fancier sword, a dark purple with a black hilt and a red gem embedded in its guard, directing it at his opponents.

Yuna, just as her friends, was really unnerved about this. This was the deciding factor as to whether they could leave or not, and she felt as if things weren't going to be pretty.

But knowing that Nautilus and Strea would need at least a beacon to look up to—just as she once and always looked up to her crush and friend—she readied herself. Sensing her determination, her friends looked at each other, sharing a nod before they pulled out a sword each, with Nautilus possessing an extra shield in his arsenal.

Twenty seconds.

At the very least… If they were going to go down, then they would go down, trying. She would never allow herself to be looked at if she never took her opponents seriously.

Click. Ten seconds.

She had waited for this exact moment for so long. The very moment she'd be able to leave this guild, she was going to head straight for floor thirty-five. That was where the «Blank» probably was at.

A bit more. Five seconds.

Taking in a shaky breath, she willed her nerves to steel. If she was going to fight, she would fight as Yuna, member of the «Blank».

*Ting!*

 ***Persona Q—Light the Fire Up in the Night: P3 (Play Song)***

Well, no turning back now!

Starting it off, Kuradeel was quick to rushing forth, sword gleaming a malicious glow of dark indigo and black that seemed to display the true horrors of his undoubtedly horrid personality.

Without so much as faltering under his sharp gaze, Nautilus leapt into the air, bringing his sword down in a guillotining action. His sword of grey metal met the older man's purple blade, a loud clashing sound before the two backed away.

"Alright, guys! Switch to 'Diversity'!" Yuna's orders elicited confused looks from the other players, more so from their opponents.

Her team members understood her orders loud and clear, wasting no time to perform their part.

Without so much as saying anything, the purple-haired swords woman made a break towards Kuradeel, who raised his sword to block her attack. Instead, she pivoted over him, getting his attention solely on her, and giving her fellow swordsman enough time to slam his shield into the man, before he activated a «Swords Skill», cutting him and knocking him backwards.

"Grah!" Hissing, despite the pain literally nonexistent, he noticed his health basically erased by thirty percent now, his health now stood at a shaky 80% now. 'How the hell?!'

The younger players spared no time for the opposite team, aiming their blades towards Rosalia, who looked more than ready to take them on. Clashing all their weapons all at once, Strea jumped back before thrusting her blade forwards, sword gleaming with lavender as it cut into her. She stopped short, initiating a combo at her. Nautilus appeared from the side, bashing his iron shield against her.

"Come on, everyone, you can do it!" Yuna cheered, pulling out her harp and beginning to play. "Hhaa~!"

Her voice covered the whole areas, and everyone could hear it. So soothing, and soon enough, red and blue light seemed to cover her teammates, with an additional orange being amongst those two colours.

With enough practice, she's managed to create a singing skill to increase a targeted player's agility, thus improving their hit rate and evasion. She smiled at this, thankful that her efforts were being paid off.

Boosted by their leader's singing, the purplette resumed her assault on Rosalia once more, except with faster hits and powerful strikes, making things indefinitely harder for her to just block. And the girl was far too fast to just parry, the redhead noted.

"Damn it! Don't just let her knock you around!" Kuradeel was ready to go in himself, but had to jump back to evade the sudden swing of a sword.

"Your opponent stands before you now. Don't even think about running," Nautilus had always wanted to sound brave, and right now, he hoped so.

Snarling in clear anger, the madman ignored every sense of self-safety as he tossed himself into the battle, clashing blades against the younger swordsman, whom blocked his attack with both sword and shield, retaliating with equal vigour, if not more due to his friend's singing.

Kuradeel reached for a dagger in his right belt, ready to toss it, until the songstress suddenly dashed in front of him, rapier aimed directly at his dagger, managing to toss it aside. Sent flying into the air, before landing onto the ground, a distance away from him.

'Damn it… What sort of tactics are they even using?!' The man thought, seething with anger.

"Hhaa~!" She played once more, singing even louder now. Her friend, his shield raised and posture low, gleamed with three colours, before he activated his «Swords Skill», thrusting himself forwards.

*Ching!*

"Hhk..!" Rosalia failed to parry the younger girl's attack, who continued the merciless onslaught, an unnatural amount of seriousness. "Hyagh!*

She twirled her lance in her hands, bringing it up above her head, before bringing it down in one quick swoop. The younger girl was struck by it, but rushed in once more to strike at her. Fast, and really difficult. Her blade was a blur at this point, and she couldn't even get a good grip on where her legs were at. They were constantly moving, her head a target that never remained in one spot, and her body so lithe that any attempts at hitting her more often than not bore empty fruit.

Rosalia, in a fit of anger, equipped herself with a shield on her left, raising it above her, effectively blocking the girl's attack. Smirking, she cocked her spear arm backwards, before thrusting forwards, spear dug into the younger girl's shoulder before she kicked her back, breaking the ninety-six hit combo.

'Damn, she did quite the damage on me…' She hissed in her mind, taking a defensive stance. Her health was already somewhere around the sixty range. This was really bad.

"Yuna, I lost the combo! Sorry!" Strea shouted, running towards Kuradeel and slamming her head into his chest. He gagged at the sudden blow to his chest, jaws shut forcefully as the teenage boy rammed his shield of iron directly into his skull, sending him into a daze, health visibly 55%.

"It's fine, we can still keep going," she reassured her friends with a shake of the head, the results of the battle far better than she could have ever imagined.

Nodding back at her, she shouted another command. 'Cerberus', and again, the two opponents of theirs weren't sure what to expect.

The three of them rushed towards the duo, with Strea and Nautilus powering up their swords, emitting a battlecry as they let their «Sword Skills» loose towards Kuradeel. He raised his sword to block, added with support from Rosalia, yet their attacks broke through their defenses.

*Khh..!*

"Nier, you never gave up on me. I'll show you how much I've grown!" She declared, her rapier gleaming a powerful streak of white and silver, before she propelled herself forwards, added with the automatic kinetic force of the «Sword Skill».

The opening was there! Time to take it!

She rushed forwards, ignoring the deathly glowers she was getting from the 'ugly man'. No, she was going to do this.

Cocking her weapon arm backwards, she let out one more battle cry, before thrusting the blade forwards.

*Shing!*

 ***Persona Q—Light the Fire Up in the Night: P3 (End Song)***

*Twee!* *Thud!*

"Gah..!" Kuradeel fell backwards, bright red wounds on his chestplate and body. Looking up at the timer, his eyes shot wide with hatred and disbelief.

He lost.

"The battle is over!" Godfree announced as the timer sung its end, indicating the end of the battle.

"Yeah!" Strea, the happiest there was on the field of battle, tackled her best friend with a powerful hug, squeezing the life out of her. "We did it, we did it, we did it!"

"Y-You're right…" Nautilus could barely register what was going on. The whole ordeal had him so focused that he actually forgot everything that just happened, albeit the winning part. "W-We won?"

Yuna remained speechless, slowly tilting her head upwards. Only when her eyes laid gaze upon the moon, did the smile finally come, eyes slightly watery.

They won. They won!

"Yeah!" She shouted, just as overjoyed as her friends were.'

* * *

 **Characters' Age:**

 **Nautilus: 16**

 **Strea: 13**


	8. Chapter 7

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 7: He Will Save Her'`

 _Kayaba always thought himself to be an unfortunate individual, gifted with a pure joy that would soon be taken from him so early._

 _No one knew, and as far as the stories told, they only reached out to the fact that he was merely a game developer, as well as the creator of the famed «Nerve Gear»._

 _And yet, it is as important so to pry into one's matters as careful as they could should they wish to truly learn more about the person. And Kayaba Akihiko, if not a traitor to mankind, was a man of mystery._

* * *

The developer of the «Nerve Gear». The lead developer of the first ever 'VRMMORPG' game, «Sword Art Online». A prodigy of coding. A man who has never been seen smiling.

If you ever told these keywords to any normal person, the first man they'd think of was probably the one and only, Kayaba Akihiko.

He had reached fame at such an early age, graduating from high school early due to possessing a knowledge span that could certainly rival that of any extraordinary scholar's. Born with such a boon, it was no wonder that he would live an extremely bountiful life, right?

Well… not really.

The man was certainly not all that experienced in love, but he did possess a small infatuation towards a fellow classmate of his. A beautiful girl who went by the name Koujiro Rinko, who possessed short, black hair and had a figure that could be deemed a bit too small for some people's liking, but who cared about that?

He was a man in love, and the day he actually steeled himself to go confess to her—truth be told, he actually got some advice from some of his relatives, all of whom were equally shocked and ecstatic about this, much to his chagrin—they were a couple the next.

Many rumours circulated around the two, such as whether he forced her into dating him, or that she was only acting to be his girlfriend just because he was a person who had a respected title for himself.

But neither cared for such rumours, for they knew the exact truths. They loved each other dearly, and would do anything for each other. No matter what, that was exactly how it was.

Kayaba was a man in love, and Rinko was a woman who had found her soulmate. They were a match made in heaven.

Nerds, am I right?

* * *

March 2015

No offense to all nerds in the word. I'm just pinpointing this to Kayaba and Rinko, both of whom were bookworms, and loved spending their company in the library.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a nerd, really.

In any case, the couple had reached a point where they wanted to take their relationship up a notch, and both held mutual feelings towards the subject. If so, why should they hold themselves back from pursuing such a dream?

And as such, on that very month of the year, both nineteen, Kayaba slipped a ring into his new wife's finger, in a quiet church with just one lone priest standing behind them, the two's families cheering for the two of them.

Rinko was not ready to have their relationship be open to the public. She was afraid, truth be told. Being married to Kayaba made her happy because he was the only man her heart would melt for, and that his position just gave her a little rise in her own family name.

But what worried her was what the masses were going to think of them. Clearly, she'd soil his name. She was just a simple woman who had achieved nothing outstanding her whole life, so to hear of their favourite idol suddenly taking the hand of such a worthless woman would definitely instil outrage amongst the people.

The man dared to say otherwise, but respected his wife's decision nonetheless. And as such, they lived as a happy man and wife, joined together by a vow, by the heart, the soul, kisses, hugs and touches. And ultimately, a night for the two.

* * *

6th November 2022

"Ssh… Hey now, don't cry…" Kayaba bounced the babe in his arms, smiling sadly as he stared at her cute little figure. She was indeed crying softly, eyes still screwed shut, face red. "It's okay…"

This was a beautiful day for the man. Finally, after waiting for a very long time, he and Rinko finally had a child of their own. A beautiful little girl with black hair from the mother, and grey eyes—definitely his own there. She was so cute, so fragile, it was hard not to love her.

But it was also an immensely difficult day. For Rinko, who laid in bed, weak and frail, eyes a dull colour as she stared at the sight before her, smiling softly.

Why…

"It's okay… Your mother's… okay…" He choked somewhere between his words, sparing his wife a single glance. She smiled back, and it took him all of his willpower just to return the gesture.

Why…?

*Whaa..!*

"H-Hey now, don't need to be so scared… Your mama and papa are here for you," his attention returned to his daughter, gently brushing her hair with his left hand. Her face was so soft, it made him want to hold her tightly so to not drop her.

Why?

"Kayaba…" The man ceased his train of words when his wife called for him. She lifted her arms in the air, adopting a gesture that showed that she wanted to carry the child. "Please…"

"O-Okay…" He hesitated for a moment, before gently securing the baby in its mother's arms. She cooed at the baby, whispering sweet nothings into her ears. Her smile was so weak, yet it displayed all the joy he's always felt himself melt in the presence of.

Now, however, it just made him want to cry.

Why!

"R-Rinko… How do you feel?" He crouched so that his face was now on her level, so that she didn't need to tilt her face upwards so to look at him. It was probably tiring so to do so.

"I'm… okay, I guess," she nodded softly, humming. The baby's cries began to soften now, and he could feel himself so short in comparison to her.

Why…

It was true. This woman was not all that special. She wasn't able to devise such grand things as he had. His suggestion of such a world, later deemed 'Virtual Reality', became his stepping stone, and carried him to greater heights. She was an ant compared to him, who was the lion.

But the lion soon came to shrink into an ant, falling in love with his opposite. She complimented him so, showing him the beauty of the world of which he once hated. Because of her, he loved singing. Because of her, he no longer focused on just algebra. Because of her, his hobby was playing games.

And it was because of her, that this baby existed.

Why, God, why..?

But what could he do now? He had created such amazing things, yet he wasn't able to do such a simple thing as calming a baby. How does she make it look so easy?

It was simple. She was the manifestation of love and compassion, whilst he the avatar of knowledge and calculations. That was why she fitted him so. Why he felt so complete with her with him.

Why he went to her house, avoiding his friends' suspicions, on one night, under the beautiful moon, that he held a bouquet of roses in his arms, offering them to her.

Wearing the most nervous look she had ever seen on the otherwise impregnable man that is Kayaba Akihiko.

And now…

Now…

"Hey Kayaba…" The man snapped out of his reverie, forcing himself to look into her eyes. There was a lack of light in them, yet they continued to remain warm, despite the presence of water in them. "What… should we call her..?"

Aah, right. A name for the baby. Truth be told, he hadn't thought about it at all this long time, since he was more than ready to let her name the child.

But right now, she was looking to him so to name her. And if she was asking for this, then who was he to turn her down?

"…Yui," the word just came to him all of a sudden. He didn't know how, but it felt as if someone, or something just whispered that into his ear. "Yui Akihiko. What do you think?"

"Yui, huh..?" He gulped, worried that his wife disliked the name. And yet, the moment her eyes returned to the sleeping child in her arms, she suddenly smiled, hugging the sleeping baby close to her face. "Welcome to this beautiful world, Yui…"

And that was more than enough for the tear to fall of his eyes.

That day, he lost a wife. He wore a lone ring, keeping it there on his left ring finger. He could, and never would part with it.

Eight days later, a memorial was held, with relatives and other people nearby attending the ceremony. In the backgrounds, Kayaba stood, holding a little baby in his arms, not daring to step closer to his wife's grave, lest he draw attention onto himself.

He frowned, looking up. He was so confused, lost ever since she passed.

The day was bright, warm. He knew that she would enjoy such a day.

It didn't make sense. Today was a day of mourning, a day of pain and sorrow, despite her being just a minor character in an otherwise large cast of people. By logic—and enough drama movies he's seen during his pastimes—it should be raining, as if the world still cried for her leave. Or, if it could have been even more melodramatic, cold. As if the world was shook by her leaving, still paralysed by the news.

Anything, anything that matched such a sad time. Instead, it was… _this_. A bright and sunny day, perfect to go jogging outside, or to play fetch with your dog.

Maybe… Maybe this was a sign? A sign that she, despite now lost in the plane of the dead, was still watching over him? That she was still smiling from wherever she was standing at?

Or was it not exactly from her, but from He Above, to remind him of the beautiful times that he's spent with her? To ensure that, despite such the heavy mood, that he continues to remember his meeting with her, their falling in love, and everything else that was just as joyous as anything else?

He just… he didn't know anymore. He didn't want to think, he didn't want to go home, he didn't want to see anyone.

Kayaba Akihiko was a man who had been struck with such a heart-wrenching incident, and all he wanted to do was just watch over his dead wife's grave, their child in his arms.

"I promise, Rinko. I'll raise Yui to be the best child ever. You have my word…" He spoke with determination, voice slightly shaky. And even then, it never stopped him from smiling at her one last time before he left.

* * *

April 2022

*Slam!*

"Damn it!" Again, for the hundredth time tonight, his fists collided with his shaky table once more, all his paperwork and gadgets tossed aside in a mad fit of rage. Nothing had ever distressed him more than his wife's death.

And now this…

*Bam!*

That made it his hundredth and one hit on his poor table, and it was visibly dying. Its legs were about to give way any time now, only remaining still out of sheer willpower.

Not that it actually has a will, mind you. He's just lucky that the legs were made of sturdier wood than he could have ever given credit.

But really… What was he supposed to do now?

"I've failed you already… Why again?" He asked himself that question, remembering how much of a rift it tore in his gut when his wife passed. Looking to his right, atop his cabinet, Rinko remained smiling, standing next to him, a visible outlining on her belly indicating her pregnancy.

That was the picture of them after six months. And they were both so happy.

And now, everything's gone to sh*t.

"What the hell…" He cursed, biting back the urge to just kill himself already. How could things have been so bad?

Was it not enough to take his beloved's life? Did He have to take his daughter's, as well?

And the thought of her caught his breath in his throat, as all feelings of anger subsided, now replaced with guilty sorrow. Damn him, she was probably terrified because of all of his screaming and yelling. She was bad as it is, why did he have to make it worse?

Realising that he was in the fault, and saw it fit to go make it up to her, he left his bedroom, taking a turn to the left down the corridor. A short distance later, and he reached the pink-white door of his daughter, who always loved hanging pictures of the two of them around their doorknob.

And he both loved and hated looking at the pictures of _just_ them. It reminded him that he still had to continue living, to raise her as he promised his wife, yet the sorrowful reminder that she would never be able to meet her mother ever.

Damn, life was just a snitch at times.

Gulping, nervous as he once was as he confessed to Rinko, he softly knocked on the door.

"Yui..? Are you awake?" He called, realising his voice to be a tad bit gruff. Makes sense, since he's been screaming nonstop since earlier.

"…Yes I am, papa!" Her voice shot back, cheery. "Come in!"

Taking it as his invitation, he turned the doorknob, walking into a strange room of dreams and wonders. Pink dressed the walls, with white tiles decorated with colourful carpets. There was an armoire to the right of the room, just beside the door to the bathroom. Her bed was to the left of the room, close to the corner where the windows were, giving a slight view to their front garden.

And the girl remained in bed, a bright bubbly smile with rosy cheeks as she stared at her father, her black hair reaching her waist.

'God…' He bit back the urge to just wince in front of his daughter. He didn't want to worry her any more. 'She looks so much like her mother…'

Knowing that it would have been rude to just stand at the door and just stare at her, he walked to her side, taking a seat beside her, rubbing her head.

"Was I too loud earlier?" He didn't want to beat around the bush. If she couldn't sleep because of him, he'd at least want to help her to do so.

"Mmm, no. I was just looking at the stars," she shook her head,. She pointed a lithe finger out of the window. Following the direction, his eyes trailed up the finger until it met the black sky, littered with white dots. "They're pretty~!"

"Ahh, I see. Yes, I can agree with you on that," he nodded with a smile, enjoying the sweet silence between father and daughter. It was comfortable.

Then she spoke once more.

"Papa," she asked, earning a hum from the man. "Is mama a star?"

That caught him by surprise, as he stared down at her with a wide-eyed look, only to be matched with a simple, childish smile.

He couldn't get mad at her, and he would never. She was just curious. She didn't know better, so he supposed he could humor her for a bit.

"Well, urmm… Yes, but, I'm not sure which one," he chuckled, equally nervous as he once was frustrated. Talking about Rinko always tore his heart, but speaking about her with his daughter always made it seem so okay. So natural.

"Really?" She asked once more, earning a nod. She hummed in understanding. "I see. It's because there's too many stars out there, right?"

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it," the man's features finally softened, all traces of anger gone from his features. Now, she could see the man she was proud to call her father, and whom she adored so much. "In fact, even I don't know how many there are out there."

"What?! But you're supposed to be a super genius, papa! You should know everything!" The innocent girl gasped, eyes wide that displayed genuine surprise.

"Hey, you can call me that as much as you'd like, but it won't help me much, alright? Not even the old smarts in the world besides me knows," he shrugs with that smug grin on his face. "Trust me when I say this."

"Ooh, fine…" She pouted, as cute as ever. It didn't last long, however, as a yawn broke through out of her, signalling her tire.

"Staying up late isn't good, I suppose. Let's tuck you in for the night, and we'll talk more in the morning," he whispered to her, pulling her blanket over her, kissing her lovingly on the forehead, earning a few titters from the child. "Alright, goodnight."

"Night, night, papa…" She smiled back, before her eyes fluttered shut, asleep not even a minute later.

*Creak…*

Stepping out of the room, and the door shutting as quietly as it ever has, Kayaba leaned against the nearby wall, sighing as he rubbed his face. Things went surprisingly well, though he doubted it would be the same every time.

He used to wonder why a family was so painful, yet so fulfilling at the same time. Now he knew. Yui was both his treasure and the means of his life, and Rinko was equally his reason so to keep on fighting, as she was forever lost from his life.

Kayaba promised her that he'd raise Yui to the best he could, promising to give her a good life to the very end. And he was not going to break his promise now.

'I'll change things,' he finally settled on a simple thought, one that he was willing to gamble everything on so to save his daughter. 'I failed Rinko… I won't fail Yui next.'

* * *

June 2022

He failed. Again.

"Tch. There has to be something that I'm not seeing," he sighed, rubbing his temples. He had tried to find a way so to preserve Yui's soul in the «Nerve Gear», but as always, it was easier said than done.

There were far too many complications with such a thing. He had opted to taking her to get treatments, never mind the bills—he was a billionaire at this point. Even so, none had been capable of treating her illness.

That was just it. A simple illness that entered her system that was far too deadly to keep in her, and too difficult to get rid of.

Kayaba had then resorted to checking the Internet, searching thoroughly through his and Rinko's family trees, trying to pinpoint the source of his daughter's current sickness. And lo and behold, his wife's great great great great great grandmother—that's a lot of great's, he had to admit—had supposedly been diagnosed with genetic malfunction, and thus she developed cancer.

And not just any simple cancer. One that attacked the heart.

"Are you f**king with me..?" That was the exact first reaction he had when he skimmed the details. Taking his daughter to multiple hospitals, his breaths of relief only grew in magnitude as he gained the same response over and over.

It wasn't heart cancer.

But then, what was it? Taking a look at their family trees once more—and taking the time to teach Yui of her great ancestry, as he liked to call it—he soon discovered another concerning type of disease. Cancer, yet again, but one that had to do with her blood.

Trying to treat her himself would be a bad idea since he was a genius with robots and machines, not man. So taking her for checkups and diagnosis, and hopefully treatments, his heart wrenched at each of their responses.

'I'm sorry…' He could only repeat those two simple words in his mind, again and again. Nothing stopped him from crying in his sleep, that he was unable to do anything for her, and that she had to be born, just to die early and join her mother soon.

So, for as long as she lived, he wanted to make sure that she would be able to live the fullest. So he did everything she wanted.

Yui was brought to amusement parks, once or twice to the movies whenever something caught her eye, and even played video games with her in the arcade a few times—and damn, was she good. Kinda' wounded his pride as a gamer there, truth be told.

But the single request she had left had hit him harder than anything else.

* * *

August 2022

Yui was sick. So much so that she wondered how she was still able to remain living even until now. In fact, she would've thought herself to be given a form of miracle. Then again, if it was a miracle, she would have been cured by now.

She didn't mind the fact, though. All that she ever wanted was to spend more time with her father. He, on the other hand, wanted her to be by his side forever, yet he knew it would never come.

After so many things given to her, as he brought her from here to there, she had suddenly asked him something far too personal, yet something she deserved.

"Where is mama sleeping now?" That question had basically broken his mental fortitudes, putting him into a nervous fit. He averted his gaze away from her for the first eight seconds, soon looking at her with a slight frown.

"She's… somewhere," he answered vaguely, not able to just say it out loud.

"Papa, I know mama's sleeping forever," she wasn't even trying to sound rude. She was just far too innocent, and he knew that she meant well. "And maybe I won't get to play with her, but can I at least see where she's sleeping at?"

"A-Ahh…" He didn't really know what to do in this situation. Should he say yes to her, or should he just tune her out?

He knew, that she deserved to know. She did, because this was her mother that they were talking about, and she's never had the chance to meet her. At the very least, if she'd get to see the beautiful woman of which she got her hair from in her sleeping state, that would certainly do both of them good, wouldn't it?

Knowing that, he gave her one shaky nod, hoping that it wouldn't hurt his daughter in the heart.

The day he did take her to the cemetery outside of a church, somewhere on the outskirts of Kyoto, her home town, standing before a grey, cobble grave that had been recently been cleaned, if the lack of webs meant anything, she had just smiled.

How… How could such a dying girl still smile, knowing that she was staring at the grave of her own mother?

Yui suddenly kneeled down, her genuine smile still remaining fixed on her face. She brushed her hand against the smooth surface of the stone, tracing over the characters engraved into the stone.

"So mama… It's me, Yui," it was as if she was introducing herself to some stranger, yet the familiar tone she had only meant that she was already quite fine with this. "See, mama? I'm big as strong like you now! Or, maybe not, since you're way prettier than me."

Kayaba found himself actually chuckling at that. Both his wife and daughter were just as beautiful as one another, though he could never decide on who was the prettier girl if they had ever challenged each other in a beauty pageant.

"Mama, sorry I never came to see you after all this time. I guess we never had any time since papa was always busy," the man winced slightly, her words nothing short of the truth. "But it's okay now! We're here, and that's what matters in the end, right?"

Damn it. He looks at his daughter, and sees a living image of his deceased wife. So similar, yet so different at the same time. It's no wonder he loved both with all his heart.

"So mama… Maybe, when papa and I come to see you, make sure to stay pretty, alright? It would be so much easier to recognise you that way," she giggled, finally laying a kiss on her gravestone. "We love you…"

* * *

October 2022

What. The. Actual. Hell.

What was happening? This wasn't real, was it? This, nothing of this happened. Nothing this morning happened, and nothing would ever happen.

He blinded himself with such lies, trying to remain sane for both his and his daughter's sake. He had to hold onto the last pieces of his untainted mind, so to not fall victim to any unpredictable situations.

And even so, right now, he had to force himself to bottle up all of his feelings, lest it all come out like an explosion, gushing out like an impossible waterfall.

"Father…" Yui never called him that. He knew then, that the day she would ever regard him by such a title, that she had reached an age of which meant that she was mature than she always was.

Damn it. She wants to talk to you! Look at her!

He was a fool, but he heeded those words that screamed from the bottom of his heart, his grey eyes staring into equally-coloured eyes of his daughter.

"Is the game starting soon..?" Her voice came out as nothing more than a soft hush, almost inaudible if he had turned on even the air-conditioning. Her body looked fragile now, and the beautiful skin had turned sickly pale now, looking dead. He grimaced, trying his best to remain calm.

"Indeed, and it is this November. And by then, I can expect ten thousand players to be there," he wanted to be here by his daughter, to reassure her, yet at the same time, to leave so to not deal with all this pain. His heart couldn't handle it, yet, because she didn't know, she took his hand. He almost choked on his words there. "Please. You should be resting."

"Father… We both know that I'm about to go…" No, no no no. She was crying. Damn it, if she cries, then he was going to as well. "You… know what you must do…"

The past six years, the sixth of November was a wonderful day that marked the very time of the year of which she entered the world, under the name of Yui Akihiko. It was special to him, because it was just as much time for him to enjoy with his daughter as always.

But this year, it was different. It would be the very day he would be forced to play his ultimate trump card, and hope that things will take a turn for the better. For his daughter, he would do anything.

"Father…" His eyes drifted to hers, and the icy barrier he had tried to erect around his heart and been effortlessly shattered by the girl before him. She was still crying, still smiling, and still dying. "I… love you…"

Her grip over his hand tightened for just a bit, before it fell down from the side of the bed. His breath hitched in his throat, he took ahold of her lithe hand, trying to shake her awake. And yet, nothing was working. He had already lost her.

…No. No! He can still do this! He's already prepared for this exact moment his whole life! He will make her live!

…

That's right. That had been his whole life's objective ever since she's been sick. He's been trying to discover ways on how to keep her alive, to maintain her longevity, and to ensure that she remains breathing. And even so, nothing had been working.

Well, not this time. If he was going to Hell for this, then let Hell be at his doorstep now. He will make sure that his only family will not die. He will not lose. He'll win this game of life and death, and he'll use whatever he has to his advantage to do so. He will play God this time. That, he swears on the name Akihiko.

Such was a love of a father for his daughter, that spurred him to do what he has done until today.

* * *

Present Time—Floor 55: Granzam

"I must say, the three of you have done extremely well to have actually beaten Kuradeel and Rosalia, both of whom I was certain were difficult challenges. Not that I had my doubts, mind you," Heathcliff leader of the «Knights of Blood», smiled proudly at the three teenagers that stood before his desk, all wearing grateful, yet tired grins of their own.

Though it had looked easy on their part, it was extremely strenuous. It required them to be quick on their feet, predicting the moves of their enemies and to dance around them as precisely as they could. Had they played any of their cards wrong, then the whole battle would have fallen in Kuradeel's favour.

Truly, he could see the potential in these children. They had proved their mettle in the battle, and he saw no reason so to keep them cooped up in his guild if they so wished to leave.

"Well then, as you have requested, I officially permit you to leave the guild. Congratulations," he nodded. And the purple-haired girl just screeched, both in joy and disbelief. "Haha…"

It was strange. Had he ever smiled this much ever since the incident? It was hard to say. Then again, in this world, there were far too many amazing things that was hard not to take account into. And as such, there was nothing that could stop him from feeling short of amazed.

Right now, stood before him three people who would defeat this game. He could only imagine how their journey will be like.

"Oh, and sir?" He looked up to where a girl called him, and he now stared into the brown eyes of their leader, who had played the harp during the battle and sung. She had such a pretty voice, he was lucky he hadn't been put into a trance by her singing just yet. "I have a small question to ask of you."

"Well please, ask away," he nodded back, his ears open.

"Do you know where the guild «Blank» is currently at?" She asked, sounding hopeful. "You see, that is the previous guild of which I have left, and I intend to return to it. However, I am not certain where they are currently at, so I was hoping that you know."

"Aah. It is of no problem. In fact, they are still on floor thirty-five," he answered her, who responded with a look of surprise. "I'm not entirely sure why, but I've heard from my messenger. If you're quick enough, you might be able to catch up with them."

"Ohh, I see. Thank you so much, Heathcliff," she gave a curtsey, her friends bowing along with her. The leader merely made a simple nod before he watched the group of three leave the room, the door coming to a shut.

And once they were out of earshot, his forehead met the desk, eyes dark and devoid of any light for just a short second, before the sigh that left him returned them to their original condition.

Raising his head once more, he allowed one more sigh to leave his lips, smiling tiredly.

"I'm going to die soon… I guess it's fair," he chuckled, resting his chin on his knuckles. 'I mean, I let Yui and Rinko die… I might as well join them, shouldn't I?'

But he had been the one to bring his daughter into this world. It would be such a mistake so to not find her, wouldn't it?

* * *

The people of the real world cheered and laughed as the girl they were rooting for had ultimately defeated the 'ugly man'. Now, it was their chance to get back to Nier, a straight shot there.

But of course, she knew that going just then without any forms of rest would have been utterly unforgiving—though simple, that battle was tiring—so Yuna and the others decided to get themselves a room somewhere in town.

Thankfully, their time serving the «Knights of Blood» was more than enough to secure them with a generous amount of funds, and they were able to turn in for the night.

The next day, everyone decided to meet up in Yuna's room.

"Morning, everyone. Slept well?" The brunette asked, still in her night gown. White, almost see-through, with a ruffled skirt.

"F-Fine," Nautilus was the obvious one who felt embarrassed, turning his gaze away from her. "So… what now?"

"I intend to search for the «Blank» as quick as possible, but of course, we don't need to rush. I have a feeling that they won't be in a hurry either," she spoke, her purple-haired friend raising her arm in the air. "Yes?"

"I'd like to go to the bathroom," she told her, earning a roll of the eyes from the only boy there.

"Alright, you can go ahead. It should be down the corridor," Yuna nodded, her friend making quick leave. "Nautilus."

"Yes?" He perked up when she called his name.

"Tell me honestly. Do you really want to come with me? I may have been a bit selfish back there," her uncharacteristic frown drew a simple smile on his face, as he shook his head slowly.

"Not at all. In fact, I'm fine either way. As long as I'm by your side, then that's all that matters," he explained, earning himself a grateful smile from his friend.

"Thank you. You have no idea how happy that makes me," there was once the pressure of the thought of him wishing to remain in the «Knights of Blood». His words dispelled such worries, and she couldn't help but thank the Lord above for this. "Oh hey, do you guys have any idea on where the market is? I was looking around, but I couldn't find it."

"Oh, this floor doesn't have any. If you'd want, you'd have to go down to another town," Strea explained, earning a tired sigh from the girl.

"So these long few weeks, perhaps, staying here, and I still didn't realise that? How clumsy could I be…" She lamented, shaking her head.

"Oh, don't worry about it so much. There are times when we may not know things. Not everyone is perfect," her friend reassured her, a smile on her face holding no ill will. She was just trying to be nice.

"Yeah… In any case, let's just find a restaurant in Granzam, and stay here. We'll move out in two days time," the other two nodded at their leader's words.

* * *

Two Days Later

Heathcliff had remained somewhere on the outskirts of town, watching as a group of three teenagers make their way to the town's teleporting gate, with the brown haired girl amongst them three shouting something, before they disappeared.

Their bodies disappeared into the bright blue light, leaving nothing behind.

The leader of the «Knights of Blood» sighed, putting away a book he had been reading since just now. It had pictures of some interesting stuff, but it was the context in the book that truly had him curious.

Truth be told, were he to tell others of the origins of this book, they would no longer see him as a man of honour and power, but one who had been struck by madness.

It made sense, didn't it? Who would actually believe him if he said it suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

That had him wondering as to whether the people outside had actually managed to hack into the systems. Truly, it would be far too troubling if they were prematurely released from the «Nerve Gear's» hold over their brains now. He still did not find the answer he wanted.

'Actually, what do I want?' He finally asked himself, leaning against the wall behind him with his arms crossed. He took to wondering whether he knew everything, but he supposed even a man as great as him could never come up with an answer to such an intricate question such as this.

Deciding not to ponder on it any more longer, he returned to headquarters. He would need to deal with the problems stacked on his desk.

Seriously though. He was a commander who was supposed to lead the army past the obstacles. His name alone struck fear into every player there was. And he has bested just about any enemy that were foolish enough to cross his path on the battlefield.

And he _does_ does all that. But do all the paperwork have to be shoved to him too?

* * *

Yuna wasn't kidding when she said she wanted to get back to the «Blank» quickly. But then, things just had to take a bad turn somewhere.

Seriously though, was the game really breaking? First, a black-white sword called «Binary» appeared in Nier's hands all of a sudden, which soon turned into his main weapon ever since he's been using it. And now, when she shouted 'Teleport to Mishe!', she didn't mean for her to be in Coral.

What in the world?

"You've got to be kidding me…" And worst part of it all, the teleport gate wasn't working. A cooldown, maybe? "Ooh… Now we have to stay here while it fixes itself."

"Seriously? But when is it going to get fixed?" Nautilus looked up and down the teleporting pad, wondering if it'd take too long for it to fix. If so, then, well… gg?

"Hmm… I did recall Nier saying that the system will fix any malfunctions present in the game as soon as it appears, but I suppose even then there are times when it's not going to work at its best," the brunette tipped her head slightly backwards, face a bit more revealed now. "No matter. I suppose we could wait for a little bit."

"And in the meantime!" Strea interjected, her bubbly smile ever at the ready. "We'll go see if there are any other quests that we can do! How about it?"

"Mmm, yeah. Better than nothing, huh?" Yuna nodded in agreement, letting the giggling girl lead her away, a chuckling Nautilus following after the two of them from behind.

The teleport gate was a distance away from the town, but with enough time, they soon reached it. Yuna remembered some faces here, and some of them the same, if the waves they sent her way was nothing to go by.

They travelled to a notice board, finding a few quests on there, some of which were posted by other players. Looking at each and every one of them, she wasn't all that interested in any of them. That is, until her eyes landed on two black-stamped requests at the bottom right.

Looking at one of them, it was just a simple request so to go picking berries, and… eat them? A troll, her friends thought, so they decided not to bother with it. The other one, however, certainly seemed much different than anything else.

A ghost. That was all it said. Oh yeah, and whoever posted this went into depth of how they weren't able to sleep and the like—to be honest, though, the message felt like a poem, due to how smooth-flowing it was—finally ending with the person requesting them to go check it out.

Based on the information given, it seemed that this quote unquote 'ghost' was in the Forest of Wandering, which wasn't all that far from here.

Sharing a simple look with each other, it soon ended with Yuna peeling the piece of paper away from the board, before putting it away into her inventory. A message popped up in front of them, signifying that they had just taken a quest.

"Well, we know what we're going to do," she spoke, the others nodding. "Alright, come on."

* * *

At first, they were wondering as to whether or not they were going to go check the forest out at night, since it was more logical that a ghost would only appear during the night. However, talking with each other about the quest in the public soon elicited a few of the NPC's attention, all of whom told them that the ghost could also be seen in broad daylight.

With that simple info put into their heads, the three of them took a trip to the forest.

It was rather peaceful, to be honest. There was the natural music of the wind and birds, which gave them a sense of relaxation. Even so, the quest about the ghost remained in their heads, and they decided to remain vigilant, just in case.

Even so, none of them dared to put their weapons in their hands so early, just to avoid any unexpected situations.

*Snap!*

"Eeeh!" Strea jumped suddenly, hugging onto the male strongly, almost crushing his ribs. "S-S-Something's there!"

"I-I-I-It's n-nothing..!" He wheezed, trying to pry the girl off of him. Only when his breath came out shakily for the third time did she finally release him, an apologetic look on her face. Apologising at him, he shook his head. "It's fine… Let's just take a look."

"W-What? No! I-I-It could be t-t-the…" She gulped. And before any other words could leave anyone's lips, she suddenly crouched, hands moving towards her ears to keep them covered, her eyes screwed shut a moment later.

Looks like she was really scared.

"Okay… I'll go," Yunavolunteering herself gained herself shocked looks from her friends, all of whom held equal amounts of concern and fear—although Nautilus was adamant when it came to ghosts, it didn't exactly reach out to his wanting his best friend to be safe. The girl just graced them with a smile in return. "I'll be fine. Just stay there."

She didn't wait for any of their responses. She marched off to where the sound came from, keeping a ready stance, just in case anything popped out from somewhere and tried to attack him.

Her left hand resting delicately on her rapier, she was more than ready to slice apart whatever was there…

…Only to see a girl lying face-down on the ground.

"Oh dear," she blinked, hand instantly slipping away from her weapon's hilt. Rushing to the girl's side and gently picking her up, she brushed away the black hair, revealing a cute little face of a girl who was possibly exhausted. 'What is she doing here?' She asked herself. "Nautilus, Strea!"

"We're here…" The boy spoke as the two of them approached their leader, both of them gasping the moment they saw what, or who laid in their friend's arms.

"Who is that?" Strea crossed the distance between herself and her friend rather quickly, crouching to look at the girl. "And she's pretty."

"I don't know where she came from, but whatever it is, we can't leave her here," she concluded, standing up. "Let's find someplace to stay. We'll wait until she's fully recovered until then."

* * *

Returning from the forest, the group of three had booked a room at an inn, paying for three nights. If that wouldn't be enough, then they would make sure that the innkeeper would get more coins for extra time.

Setting the girl onto the bed, and tucking her away, the three contemplated on what to do.

None had the experience of taking care of a girl her age, since none of them actually have siblings to begin with. If there was an adult somewhere nearby, they could get some advice from him. But then again, they didn't want to draw too much attention, so they decided to get down with this on their own.

She didn't seem to have fever. Her head and body wasn't hot, so there was no need to be worried about anything. So maybe she was just really exhausted?

Whatever the case, it didn't stop them from wondering as to what had possibly happened to her.

After a long pause on what to do and whatnot, Yuna finally stood from the wooden chair she had long been seated on, drawing all eyes towards her way.

"Alright, how about this? I'll go to the market to see what I can pick up and you guys can watch over her while I'm away. If anything's wrong, just send me a message," her words were brief and concise, and got more than understanding nods from her friends. Literally, Strea gave her a thumbs-up. "Alright then, I'll be going now."

Leaving the inn, she made her way to the centre of the town, with a market selling a variety of things there. She would have loved nothing more than to buy one of each, but decided not to, since it would mean too many things to carry back, and too much of a dent on her purse.

As such, she decided that she'd make soup. As simple as that, right?

Chicken broth, some mushrooms, a bit of cream, flour, some seasoning to add a bit of taste here and there, and butter.

This shouldn't be too difficult. The game would make things easy for her.

Paying for everything she needed, she returned to the inn. Welcomed by her friends, she made her way into the kitchen, preparing the dish. It didn't take long for her to make it, and she was just about ready to leave it until Nautilus came rushing to the doorway, a look of surprise on his face.

"She's awake!" He yelled. That was more than enough to get his friend's attention, as she followed him back to the bedroom.

And just as he said, the girl was yawning quietly, scrubbing her eyes as she slowly rose to a sitting position, black hair messy. When she finished scrubbing, she looked everywhere around her, noticing the older people in the room.

They would have expected her to scream in fear, hide under the blanket, or even ask why she was here. They were the most logical responses, right?

Well…

*Grroaak~…*

Unsurprisingly enough, it was her belly that gave a response first, and the others sweat-dropped. Sounds like someone hasn't been eating for a really long time.

"Please wait a moment," the songstress entered the kitchen, the sound of plates being pushed to the side and the tap water stopping, before she emerged from it once more, holding a bowl of hot soup in her hands. Taking a seat beside the bed, and dipping the spoon into the warm food, she brought it up close to the girl's lips. "Here. It's a bit hot, so be careful."

Staring mutely at the food before her, her little stomach grumbled yet again. Knowing that this was the only way to calm it, she leaned forwards to capture the food, eyes shot wide the moment it travelled down her throat.

"…Delicious," she whispered. The older girl smiled, proud that her effort was paid well. "More…"

Happy to comply, Yuna fed the girl spoon after spoon of soup, the latter accepting them with a blank stare. It continued that way, until the whole bowl was finished, leaving nothing behind.

Well, if the girl liked her cooking, maybe she could do better than Asuna? And who knows? Maybe win Nier's heart using her cooking.

'Wait, don't think that..!' She dropped that thought with a blush that lingered on her face for a few, before she returned her attention to the girl in the white dress. "Excuse me, may I know your name?"

"…" The girl remained silent still, not daring to say anything to this woman. Sure, she may have just saved her, and even went far to offer her food, but there was no denying the fact that placing your faith in someone you've just met is a huge mistake all on its own.

"Sorry. I'll introduce myself first," the older girl cleared her throat, before a smile sprouted on her face. "I'm Yuna. Nice to meet you. And this here is Nautilus and Strea," she gestured to the boy and the purplette as she introduced them. "How about you, dear?"

Again, all she did receive was the silent treatment. It made sense, she supposed.

She was ready to go was the bowl, until the girl suddenly spoke up.

"…Yui…" Her voice was so soft, so much sweeter than a nectar of an orchid. So delighted was Yuna that she smiled back.

"Good to meet you, Yui," she replied.

* * *

Two Days Later

It wasn't much, but Yuna never thought that the little girl loved her cooking.

Well, it meant that she was getting better by the second, didn't it?

In any case, while she did want to catch up with the «Blank» as quickly as they could, the teleportation gate had been offline for all this time. People were complaining out of fear and dread, until all of a sudden, a large message popped in the air.

'TELEPORTATION GATE: FIXED!'

That's what it said. The message lasted for another minute before disappearing.

That was all that was needed to tell her what she wanted. She wanted to leave this place and get to Nier's side.

But then, there was Yui, and everyone didn't have the heart to just leave her behind.

If she didn't want to leave this floor, then it would certainly spell trouble, as they planned the opposite. Leaving her all alone was out of the question, as danger crept from every corner. Plus, it was just a bastardly thing to do, so that was out of the question.

Being lonely… She could only imagine Nier being so had she and Klein not been quick enough to catch up to him. He would have braved the wilderness alone, and in times where he would have met his death—

'No. I won't let him,' she was insistent that he would live. Just as he had protected her life, given her a hope to hold onto, so would she be his shield. She will make sure that he will join them all in the real world, whether he liked it or not.

Then again, who in this damn world would not like going back to the real world?

As such, after a long conversation on what they would do, Yuna reentered her room, her friends just behind her. And their gazes fell onto the black-haired girl, who looked them with slight curiosity as her head tilted to the side.

"Umm… Yui, there's something that I need to tell you," the songstress began, walking to the bed before taking a seat beside the little girl.

"Okay," she nodded, now at full attention.

"Okay… You see, we're planning to leave soon, and I was wondering if you wanted to follow?" She asked. Both expected and unexpected, the girl's eyes widened, before she began to think about it. "I'm really sorry if you want to stay, but… this is important for us."

"I see…" The black-haired girl frowned for a bit, unsure of what to really say in this situation. She looked back up, into the brown eyes of her older friend—she didn't mind calling her her friend now, seeing how nice she was to her. "Can I ask you why it's important?"

"Yuna here intends to return to an old guild, and her friends are there," Strea answered simply in her friend's stead, before a wide smile grew on her face. "And where Yuna goes, we go too!"

"Indeed," Nautilus nodded in agreement, seeing no reason so to not agree. It was true, after all.

"I see… Who are your friends?" The more she asked, the more curious she grew. These people were certainly interesting, but her friend was the biggest attention-capturer there was.

"Well, there's a lot of them really," she chuckled, pictures of their faces flashing in her mind's eye. "There was that one girl who was really scared of fighting, but she's really sweet. Another was more of a sister who looked out for us, but she can be pretty strict at times. Another girl was pretty sly, but she has good intentions. There were two males in the group too. One was pretty goofy, and the other was…"

She trailed off, sighing dreamily as the face of her crush popped into her mind. God, what she would do just to be with him again.

"He was someone so amazing, it's hard just to say one word on him," she giggled, her friends standing by the sides all sharing looks of amusement. "He's funny, smart, good at fighting, and generally caring. He'll never let you down, and he'll do anything for you. He's selfless, reckless, yet admirable."

And then she went into depth about his character, whereas Yui had retreated into her mind. Whoever this person was must clearly be someone as amazing as she made him sound to be, if he's managed to capture her heart—that last part was clearly obvious.

And just her friend talking about him made her wonder what he really was. Sure, she's given quite the number of descriptions—and she's still going at it, despite her friends trying to persuade her from such—she was more curious as how he really was in reality. Amazing, sure, but how amazing he really was what really piqued her interest towards him.

After getting her thoughts to settle down, Yui looked back at the scene before her, which was her three friends chuckling as they talked about something. She wondered what they were talking about, but decided not to ask.

"Yuna," she called, gaining all of her friends' attention. "I think I'd like to come with you?"

"Really? Splendid! Then we get to be together!" She beamed at the younger girl's response, the latter nodding without expression. "Well then, let's get moving tomorrow, since the teleportation gates are already fixed. I just hope we wouldn't be too late."

* * *

The Next Day—Floor 35: Mishe

"Okay, so here's another plan…" Nier sighed for what seemed to be the fifteenth time as he messaged his temples, swearing that he would be growing grey hair one day.

The weeks that passed, the guild hadn't looked all that well. Morale was significantly higher than the first day, but it was still considerably low. It wasn't enough to motivate them to do their best in their battles, but they have bee tackling any requests that were posted for them.

Rescuing a few small parties from monsters were the quests that won almost all of the people's attention, and it was made official that they were serious about the helping-out part. Soon enough, requests started pouring in, and it only heightened the guild's popularity since they weren't expecting anything in return.

While Argo certainly had devious ideas in mind, such as getting them to pay a fee if they wanted their help, their leader disagreed with such an idea. He wanted to be able to help anyone and everyone, no matter what.

While initially on Argo's side, everyone soon came to understand the logic behind his words; what if the party didn't have any money on them, but desperately needed help? What then? Would they just bat a blind eye away from them?

He didn't want that. He was proud to call his friends heroes, not mercenaries.

And as such, they had solidified their services to be free for any man or woman. Help anyone that needs it, which meant helping each other get out of this accursed game. He wanted everyone to be alive. Too bad little people in this gaming world and beyond did not share such a view such as he.

Of course, the real world was heavily struck by his words, as the broadcasting station decided to return their attention to the boy. And as such, many had vowed for a more peaceful solution to the many conflicts in the world, slowly but surely putting an end to their use of nuclear weapons and firearms.

Policemen were definitely more vigilant now, patrolling the streets to fulfil the role of which they were meant to fill. Where once they were lazy, now they were inspired by a player to become their best.

Doctors all around the world, while not all of them, but a few did manage to switch their attention to helping out the poor, treating illness at just the cost of their smiles.

Adam and Layla Fate, two Christians who, while strangely enough not entirely believing in the supposedly son of God himself, but merely choosing to place their faith in the almighty Creator alone, were proud of this sudden but powerful change around the world. How their son could create an effect on this world was just amazing, and never had they loved him more.

Well, they'll still love him always.

Shiro, his little sister, watching him all this time from his computer, couldn't help but wish he was here already. She wanted to meet him so much, yet she knew that she had to be patient. Both for him and for her own sake.

Her new friend, Suguha, was certainly enamoured of him. If not that, then she was at least possessing a little crush on him, or she just looked up to him—the latter was a certain. She seemed to be curious about meeting him as well, if the discussions about him, in which she immediately joined in a heartbeat, meant anything.

The Yuuki's, Asuna's parents, could see him in a new light. While Shouzou always respected the boy, Kyouko had her doubts. Now, however, it was to the point where the husband was convincing his wife to have the boy marry their daughter—while the woman wasn't all that disagreeing with the thought, she still had her doubts. Understandable, he thought, since she could be pretty uncertain about things.

The Kirigaya's, Suguha's parents, were no less amazed of the boy. Minetaka and Midori always knew that the boy was amazing ever since they met him when he was still young a long time ago, but to think that he's done something as great as this… And this was just a taste of it, everyone knew. There would be more to come.

Returning to the game world, however, Nier was oblivious to everything else, and was currently discussing with his guild about the matter at hand.

"So we can make an official request with Heathcliff to officially release Yuna, and then we'll take her home with us. Easy as that," he began, everyone looking at him with doubts.

"You sure? I mean, I've heard that joining the «Knights of Blood» is a serious thing. If you plan to join it, you can't leave it. Ever," Asuna placed much seriousness in the last word she said, the details part of what she remembered from being scouted by one of their members, who gave her a full list of the rules of joining.

"True. They say that, if ya' want to leave the guild, ya' would have to fight one of their officers in a duel. They'll only let you go if ya' win, so we can't do anything," Argo added, shrugging.

"Then what if we go against Heathcliff?" The boy's suggestion elicited a collective sighs from his friends. He looked at each of them, blinking as his expression turned blank. "What?"

"…Dude, you don't even… Heathcliff is crazy strong!" Klein burst after keeping himself calm the first moment. "I've heard that no one's seen his half go down beyond half of the whole meter! Trying to go against him is suicide!"

"Well, what other choice do we have? If we want any shot at getting Yuna out, this is our best bet," he retorted, the headache that came right after thought to have settled already. Looks like he was wrong.

"Don't forget the fact that her friend is there as well. What was his name again?" Argo thought as she placed a finger on her lip, wondering.

"It was Nautilus. And you're right… I doubt that Heathcliff would be fine losing two members," he sighed. "Okay, so let's just—"

*Knock knock!*

All heads turned to the door of Nier's room—it was strange and so lucky for him that he got the biggest room yet. Wondering who it was, Nier walked to the door, swinging it inwards, revealing a scrawny man with a letter in his hand.

"Here. It's for you," he said, passing it to the boy.

"Right. Thank you for this," he nodded, closing the door once the man had left. Everyone curious as to what the letter was about, they waited for him as he stood next to the table, opening the envelope.

The first thing that caught their attention were the words, written unevenly and big—

' _HeLP uSS!_ '

This must have been serious. And his suspicion was proven right when they said that an unknown boss was starting to chase them around the labyrinth on this floor. They had tried to lose him by using the teleportation gate, but for some strange reason, it didn't work. It continued to _follow_ them.

Wait, what? A boss capable of tailing players and pass through floors? By normal circumstances, a boss was only capable of remaining on a certain floor, let alone only remain in its own boss room.

And by the way they phrased it, did it mean that they didn't encounter this boss in a room? Curious. Something that definitely needed his attention.

"Okay guys. We've got a job to do. For now, let's just see to it that these guys get saved," he spoke to the rest of his guild, all of whom nodded in understanding.

* * *

Floor 35: Forest of Wandering

Travelling to the labyrinth on this floor, which was really the Forest of Wandering, no one would have been ready to see just what had just happened to the forest.

Or rather, what was left of it.

"W-What in the world?" Klein's mouth was agape as he stared at the signs of destruction. All of the trees had tumbled, and it looked as if something had pushed them aside, if the strange mark of a blunt object on the tree's surface meant anything.

"Is this a part of a quest or something?" Sachi blinked, getting a bit closer to Nier now. "Like, some sort of event or something?"

"I don't know. But this is where the party from earlier said they were. Let's just try to find them now, but be wary of your surroundings. We don't know what we're going up against, after all," everyone nodded in understanding.

They stuck together, weapons equipped as they broke into a run past fallen trees and—Wait, was that fire? There was something really strange going on here, and they needed to know right now.

Just a bit more, and they soon stood at what seemed to be a large opening, devoid of any trees or stumps. It looked as if the area had been cleared of any plant life, and the scent of smoke wafted in the air, emanating from the fires around them.

Looking around him as he activated «Libra», he could see all sorts of footprints, all of which were erased by some form of… slashing? There was a sharp cut in the earth, littered everywhere around them. On the trees, on the dirt, everywhere.

The only things that had swords in this game were the «Lizardman Lord», «Illfang the Kobold Lord», «Kagachi the Samurai Lord» and «The Gleam Eyes». Even so, the last boss was off the list, as the only floors cleared up until now was just until floor fifty-five, and «The Gleam Eyes» was on floor seventy-four, as far as he knew.

And there was more than enough trouble that he could think of, but never did he expected such a thing.

"Help!" Were he some form of a cat or elf, his ears would have perked up at the familiar voice. Snapping his head to the source of the voice, his eyes could only register one person.

Yuna.

She was there. Brown hair, brown eyes, the same outfit as when she departed from the guild, and everything else.

But this time, running beside her was a purple-haired girl in purple armour, with another boy with robes and a sword.

And behind them… was unlike anything he had seen.

* * *

 **Characters Age:**

 **Agil: 27**

 **Yui: 7**


	9. Chapter 8

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

"The game is done." - Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 8: As Long As We're Together'`

 _What did Yui want?_

 _She asked herself that all this time. She felt trapped, in a world of fantasy and swords, where death was either bliss or a curse to those that failed to live in this game world._

 _She had dreams of a man, one of whom she looked up to. One of whom gave her a life of which she enjoyed, of the countless nights where she would look up to the sky and count the stars, of which she would ask questions that he could answer._

 _And when she met Nier, the prophesied saviour of the people in this death game called «Sword Art Online», she couldn't help but experience those feelings yet again_.

* * *

Nier was far from perfect. He knew that.

There were times when his innocence would show, such as his incapability to see the various girls around him that have actually fallen head over heels for him. How he had remained blind to such a _fact_ was beyond imagination.

He didn't understand emotions very well, which extended to even himself. He knew what he wanted, but there were times when his brain was unable to translate these feelings into simpler messages.

Love. A concept so broad, yet so utterly confusing. He loved his father, he loved his mother, he loved his friends. That was it, yet people always said that there were others that loved him. His only response, obviously, was to scoff back at them, thinking that it was obvious.

But then again, he never thought hard enough to realise that the others that loved him, were really the girls around him.

Nier put aside his fear of being alone, because he knew that, with his strength, he would be able to protect everyone. He was not willing to mourn for his friends, and would do anything to keep them alive, until he'd be able to see them one day, in the real world.

He loved them far too much to just lose.

Now of course, it was also pleasing to see that he was more human than most, despite his lack of emotional understanding. He was able to see past the simple illusion than others, and achieve great things without even him knowing. But the most important trait that won the hearts and respect of many was his desire to protect everyone.

He has his sword. If it breaks, he would use his bow. If, by some strange way, it broke as well, then he would not fail to resort to using his fists—there were some martial arts skills in the game, surprisingly enough.

And whatever comes at him, he will not fail. He will beat just about everything that came at him, no matter what. If it was a horde of monsters, then he would brave past them to reach the distressed ones. If it was a boss, hell, why should he back away? His level was high enough, so there should be nothing to be worried of.

So, why in the world was he feeling slightly unnerved by whatever he was staring now?

This was certainly not normal!

*Shing!*

"Hrgh..!" He didn't even have enough time to get his thoughts together before his legs started carrying him towards the boss, his sword in hand slamming against the boss's.

This _thing_ was unlike any of what they've seen before.

Humanoid. So human, in fact, that he would've mistaken it for one. It was tall, reaching a height close to «Illfang's». The only clear distinction between it and a normal man was that its whole body was metallic, with steel-like accents giving it an even clearer impression of being some form of robot. In its right was some form of sword, also mechanical as its wielder.

The hell was this?!

*Fwoo!*

"Whoa!" This thing was certainly not normal. In the game, it was designed that whenever a player parried a monster or a boss, there was a timer of which they would remain stunned, completely open. It was through this design that the players were able to exploit the bosses' weaknesses and kill them.

But it wasn't working with this one. This thing actually _pushed him back_.

And damn, though it lacked speed, it was powerful!

"Klein, Asuna, assume 'Arcane Defense' stance! Sachi, Argo, do the same! Nautilus, Strea, Yuna, use a 'Diversity' stance!" He commanded quickly, distancing himself from this strange boss.

Everyone shouted back their understanding, quick to their positions. And with that, they rushed the titan-like creature.

And yet, whatever the boy had planned in his mind was quickly shattered, as the creature effortlessly knocked them all aside with its sword, breaking past the powerful defences of Klein and Sachi combined, and cutting down at everyone's health bars.

Clicking his tongue in chagrin, he rushed forth, ready to go for broke.

"Hrahg!" Equipping himself with «Binary», the swordsman let loose all forms of «Sword Skills», slashing and cutting at the massive blade the titan carried. And yet, he was no where at breaking its almost impregnable defence.

Not content with that, he launched a strange orb into the air, before kicking it the moment it got close to him, releasing smoke onto the field, shrouding both him and the beast.

Jumping back, Nier leaped into the air, activating «Horizontal», allowing the skill to activate a kinetic effect on him, making him ascend even faster. High up, he brought his sword down in a guillotining effect, blade making contact against the titan's own, before sent flying back, crashing into his samurai friend.

"W-What the—That thing's so powerful!" He blinked in disbelief.

And then all sorts of thoughts entered his mind. Did Kayaba purposely create this thing to kill the players? That wasn't fair!

And if so… How was he supposed to kill that thing?! It was so powerful! He didn't want to fail! Not now!

No!

*Khkk…*

Something had caught his attention, he thought. Why else did the titan suddenly make a muffled groaning sound, before staring off towards the distance.

Curious, he looked to where it was staring at, only to realise that it was staring at where the teleportation gate on this floor was currently at. But it should have been impossible to know that it was there. It was just a simple pad on the ground.

The answer? A pillar of light erupted from the teleportation gate and into the air, connecting this floor with the floors above it.

"What's going on..?" Though he asked that, he knew that he wasn't going to get any answers. Everyone were just staring at that thing in shock and utter confusion, not knowing what to make of this.

Before any of them were able to say anything else, the creature suddenly ran towards the teleportation gate, the beam of light still there.

"Shoot… People are gonna' die with him there!" He snapped out of his stupor, getting off Klein and tailing after the slow creature. "Everyone! Stop that thing at all costs!"

"R-Right!" Everyone were so confused, but they heeded the boy's words. For now, and for which they knew was forever, he was their leader, and they would make sure that they do as he says.

Unbeknownst to most of them, a black-haired girl followed Yuna, the latter making sure that she keeps close to her.

* * *

*Ching!*

"H-Hha..!" The monochromatic-haired boy was fast, able to get past the titan before he engaged it in a battle of swords. And yet, it was clear as day that he was losing.

"All men! Defend the town!" Guards poured in from nowhere, a combination of both players and NPC's, with large shields and spears. The civilians and weak players returned to their homes and inns.

"Those of whom are armed and ready, do not, I repeat, do _not_ let a single person die! Defend, but run if your life is in danger!" Nier shouted, earning positive and loud responses from everyone. "Good… Now, time to put you down."

Brandishing his sword, he rushed down the titan, slashing away at its massive weapon. Even still, it changed nothing, except the fact that it was easily blocking every of his attacks without so much as needing to do more than raising its sword before him.

Cocking its sword arm back, it thrust the advanced blade towards the boy, who jumped onto it, running towards the creature as he screamed.

Agil and Klein came to join him, activating their own «Sword Skills» and conjoining theirs with Nier's own, directing all the accumulated power at the titan. Even so, it didn't seem to even get fazed by their attack, merely deciding to just swat them away.

"Gah!" The samurai was tossed to the side, falling into a home through an open window, whereas the battle axe-wielder had been sent tumbling into a pile of crates. Nier was still the only one standing, managing to retain his balance quickly and made even quicker advancements to the being.

"Eat this!" He yelled, activating a «Sword Skill» and allowing it to build as he closed the gap between him and the titan, before jumping down, blade making contact with its skull.

*Ching!*

It wasn't enough to actually get its health down, but that attack sent it backwards, slightly staggering. Smirking, he landed on the ground once more, letting loose a combo towards the creature in its dazed state.

Strike after strike landed on its body as it was forced to accept each blow against its wishes. He continued the assault, commanding the guards to stay away. He will deal with this himself, and would not have the death of another man on his hands.

And yet, no matter how many times he hit the titan, it seemed almost fine. It knocked him back with just a swing of the sword, sending him crashing into a wall. A purple message saying 'Immortal Object' appeared behind him, lingering even as he slowly detached from the wall and fell onto the ground.

The guards rushed to his side, shielding him. He wanted to stand, but the blow from that attack had rendered him practically stunned.

Tilting his head up, his eyes grew with disbelief.

The titan, «Mechonis of the Mechon» stood proud and tall, with no health bar below its name to begin with.

"Y-You can't be serious…" He blinked, unable to believe that his efforts thus far had been all for naught. Every precision in his attacks and strategy he had enacted in hopes of defeating it, yet all for nothing?!

*Khhghkkk…*

The beast rumbled a bit more once again, before making its way towards the teleportation gate. While most were afraid that it was going to break the gate, the most unthinkable occurred.

Arriving there, feet planted firm on the pad—

*Khh..!*

A portal opened. And it disappeared, leaving no trail of its presence. The beam of light too faded, now nothing out of the ordinary there.

...That was strange.

* * *

An Hour Later

*Chhk…*

His teeth dug into the skin of his right hand, not drawing blood. He bit harder, harder, yet nothing came out. Pulling away, all that acted as indication that he did indeed bite his hand was the slight teeth mark on it.

When was the last time he actually did—Oh yeah, the first time he was about to dive into the game. Yeah, he was certainly wondering what to do back then.

Right now, his hand shook because, truthfully, he was actually afraid.

That thing… That was a glitch, and he knew it. And yet, the creature managed to exist, despite being far too overpowered. Was that it? Would they have to cross blades with that thing once more in the future?

No… Can't be. The system needs to get rid of that thing. Forget trying to fight it, they would die if they were ever placed in the same room.

The fact that it couldn't be killed, considering the fact that it didn't even have a health bar, which practically placed it in the position of an 'Immortal Object', made it all so much more worse. There was no way they would be able to defeat it permanently.

Sure, they could maybe tumble it and the like, but there was no practical solution as to actually put its nonexistent health bar to zero, which was useless since there was no way to fight it in the first place!

Scared, he was, where he even resorted to even biting himself.

After the battle, every guard had done their rounds around the town, and were happy to say that no one were injured in the aftermath. And more fortunately, none had expired during the whole ordeal. In fact, the only one that did get injured throughout the whole thing was Nier himself.

That battle was clearly one-sided. Gifted with such a status, that creature would be able to kill just about everything. Forget his hacking gifts, there was nothing he could do! No matter what sort of weapon he could give himself, it would be rendered useless against an «Immortal Object».

Well, one that had limbs, a sword, a will of its own and stuff like that.

Nier had been treated with just a simple potion, and some cooking from Yuna—it was hard to say whether hers or Asuna's was better, but there was no doubting the fact that they were in a form of competition against each other now.

Then again, had he been very careful as to looking into this, he would have known that the two of them were competing both in the arts of cooking, and for his heart, just as the other girls were—minus Strea, since she was new.

After all that, they retreated into the inn, deciding to change things. He would be sleeping with Nautilus and Klein in one room, and the other girls would divide themselves into two other rooms.

'For now…' He thought to himself as he fell back into the bed with a soft 'Oof'. 'I suppose I can just wait and see how things are going to turn out…'

* * *

The Next Day

His guild's reunion with Yuna, while certainly hasty due to the presence of «Mechonis», was redone as they had a party just this morning once everyone got to an uninhibited room.

And daresay, never did he think that she'd be hugging him first of all people.

But of course, she missed the others just as much, so it was no surprise that she practically raced over to Asuna, Sachi and Argo's side, pulling all of them into a group hug. Sweet smiles and a few tears, but it was a happy reunion.

Which soon turned into girls' talk as they suddenly conversed with each other about the other party's experiences, completely tuning out everything else.

Including the boys.

"Well, aren't they're having fun…" Klein sighed as he shook his head, a smile on his face. "But hey, Nier, did you notice anything different about Yuna?"

"Somewhat, yes. She seems more… confident," he noted. "And surprisingly enough, she fights now."

He aimed his finger at the rapier clipped to her belt. Following the trajectory of his finger, Klein was surprised by the sight, looking as if he has just seen a miracle beforehand. Last time they remembered, she had only stuck to the harp.

She's grown a lot, it seems. And daresay, she actually looks prettier than last he remembered.

'Umm… what?' He blinked, somewhat taken aback by that sudden thought. What was with him, all of a sudden? Brushing his eyes with the back of his hand, he decided to leave it there. Turning to his left, he stared into the black eyes of Yuna's friend. "You must be Nautilus, correct?"

"A-Ah, yes. We've met before, back when you and your guild saved us," the boy spoke, before giving a slight bow. "And thank you, for protecting us from the monster earlier."

"Please, think nothing of it. There was no other reason to protect you other than the fact that it was the only right thing to do," the monochromatic-haired boy shrugged, as if that answer was the most logical thing out a variety of answers. "Also, I must thank you as well. You and… Strea, if I'm not mistaken, have taken care of Yuna after all this while in our absence."

"Oh, it's no trouble. She's my friend, so I'm always going to make sure that she's alright," he nodded without any hesitation, though the slight burning on his face at his declaration was as clear as day.

'He likes her,' it was simple to say that, yet he never understood the knowledge of the girl in question actually possessing a crush towards him. How he managed to remain this oblivious to the knowledge was just beyond anyone's understanding.

For some strange reason, whenever he looked at where the girls were talking to each other, she seemed to be stealing glances at him every now and then, blushing as their eyes made contact, before returning to the conversation with her friends, smiling as the rosy red lingered in her cheeks.

Girls. So confusing.

* * *

After everything had settled down, and all the food had been finished—mostly with help from Strea, who proved to be quite the glutton despite her small stature—a man had stepped into the room.

And damn, was he the giant.

"Agil, a pleasure to meet you here of all places," Nier smiled as he stood up from the chair he had been reluctant to give to anyone else—he sighed slightly once Argo snatched it away with a triumphant grin—before bumping fists with the married player.

"And you seem to be having quite the party here," Agil noted as he smiled at everyone else, waving. "Sorry to intrude. I've just got a few things I need to tell you."

"Well, speak away. It would be pointless if you keep it bottled up," the boy smirked, leaning against the wall, since someone decided to take his chair away from him.

Looking at the blonde, she just stuck her tongue out in a playful manner at him, resulting in him rolling his eyes.

"Alright… First up, the boss on floor fifty-five has been cleared," the sighs of relief afterwards immediately took a whole three-sixty at the man's next words, dyed in grimness and slight dread. "But has been replaced with a new boss. "«Mechonis»."

"W-What..?" Were Asuna to be drinking water, she would have done a spit take. Instead, all that was there was a wide-eyed look from the rapier-wielder. "You mean the boss from yesterday?"

"Apparently so. Someone managed to get a peek into the boss room, and saw that thing inside of there…" The bald man sighed. "«Mechonis», as you described him to be, got even the veteran players to quake in their boots."

"But I wasn't kidding…" The boy noticeably frowned, feeling guilty for that.

"Don't worry about it. Everyone knows that you didn't lie, since they saw that you were having troubles against that thing," he shook his head in reassurance, understanding the boy. "As of right now, «Knights of Blood», as other guilds, are preparing for the upcoming raid on floor fifty-five."

"I see… Well, if they're going, I shall as well," he decided. "I don't intend to sit around while the people around me, both young and old, are going to march off to what could be their final battle."

"And where our leader goes, the «Blank» shall follow as well," Yuna chimed in, earning a grateful smile from the boy, before it turned into one of curiosity.

"Actually, speaking of that, how did you manage to leave the «Knights of Blood»? Wasn't there some sort of complicated procedure that you'd need to go by if you wanted to leave?" He asked her.

"Oh, there was. I think most of you already know this, but members of the guild are required to face off against the officers in a duel if they ever wish to leave," she explained. "And I will say this, it was a bit difficult, but we managed just fine. And then, we just needed to find you."

"Thankfully, you were still on Mishe. We had been thinking that you would have moved to another floor," Nautilus chuckled.

"I see… Well, we had been stuck here doing any requests sent to us. Plus, we were also devising strategies on how to get you out," he said before he gestured a thumb to Klein. "This guy over here suggested some form of kidnapping, and thankfully we have Asuna here to knock some sense into him."

"Literally…" The samurai added, rubbing the back of his head, remembering what her fist felt like. Note to self: never suggest something so stupid with her around.

"A-Ahh, well, everything turned out well in the end, didn't it?" She giggled at the image of the samurai, one who had braved countless monsters and men, get beaten up by some teenage girl.

"True," he smiled back, his gaze returning to the bald man still present. "And Agil, you look like you've got something else to say. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just want to strike a deal with you," he shrugged, though the knowing grin he had on his face was more than enough to spell possible trouble.

"Strike a deal? As far as I'm concerned, the Devil does not play video games, lest I am mistaken?" His witty remark elicited a wince from his friend.

"Ouch… Remind me to always be careful when talking to you. You can be a smooth pillow one moment, and a harsh knife the next," he chuckled.

"Yeah. And sorry if I offended you. Please, continue," he nodded.

"None taken. And any case, what I'm trying to say is that I'm willing to help the guild out," he explained, looking at them all with a calm look. "As far as I know, Argo there is working as your personal spy, isn't she?"

"Yup! I was an information broker before this, and I still am, though I mostly function as Nier's spy now," she spoke with a sly tone at the end of her sentence. It wasn't as a spy of «Blank», but his spy.

That thought drew dangerous frowns from the other girls, all of which except Yui and Strea, who looked at everyone in slight confusion.

"In any case, then what if I help you out as your merchant? I've got a shop in Algade, and I'm never short of supplies. If you need anything, I can get the supplies for you, anytime," he crossed his arms with a smile.

"I see. But there is the question that does indeed require your attention. As Argo had joined the «Blank», does this mean you yourself intend to be part of it?" He asked with an eyebrow cocked upwards.

"Hah. As intelligent and sharp as ever, huh?" He huffed with a grin. "Nothing ever gets past you, it seems. But yeah, I'm currently free. And I intend to join your guild. That is, if you're fine with that."

"Hmm… It definitely does seem to have its boons. With you in our guild, we can expect one more ally. And with you being able to secure us our equipment whenever will certainly prove to be useful…" He hummed in thought, though he had made his decision from the very beginning. The man was a good friend, and one he could trust with his own life. "Yeah, I'm cool with it."

"Alright then," he grinned brighter, accepting the request to join the «Blank».

"A-Actually," now all heads turned to a nervous Nautilus, who flinched when all the attention was turned onto him. "If you don't mind, can Strea and I join your guild? We don't really have anywhere to go, and—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, an invitation to join the boy's ever-growing guild displayed itself before him, as it did before Strea. Both of them looked at each other for a while, before their gazes turned to Nier.

"I see no reason to close my doors to you. It's without doubt that the two of you are very important to Yuna, so I don't mind having you amongst our ranks," he nodded with a smile.

Returning the gesture with their own, albeit Strea's being much wider, they clicked on the blue button, officially registered as a member of the «Blank».

"Yay! We can stay with Yuna!" Strea giggled as she hugged her brunette friend tightly, a bright grin on her face.

"You know, it seems like you're willing to let just about anyone to join this guild of yours. I thought you said that you wanted to keep it personal?" Agil brought up, the leader sighing.

"It is. I allowed you to join because we've known you since forever. You fought beside Diavel, and I was there, after all. Strea and Nautilus are cool in my book as well because they and Yuna are friends, and I intend to allow them to stay together," he answered. "And, well…"

His eyes drifted to the black-haired girl, who sat on his bed, silent all this time. Noticing her for the first time now, he walked over to her, sitting beside her.

"Hello," he greeted.

"H-Hi," she nodded. Cute.

"Forgive me for not addressing you from the beginning. I was a bit absorbed in the conversation," he apologised.

"I-It's okay. You were talking about something really important," she shook her head.

"Well, that's good. If you need anything," he raised his hand, and, while she was wary of anything he was about to do, she didn't expect him to suddenly pat her on the head. "Just tell us, alright? You can join the «Blank» or not, but if you don't want to fight, then just say it."

"You're okay with that?" Yui asked, curious. Most guilds were strict about this, as they only wanted strong and capable fighters among their ranks.

"Indeed. Yuna, before she had began wielding a rapier, was just our main buffer. We had her stay away from the battle," he explained.

"But why? Wouldn't more people that can fight be better?" She asked.

"Well, you are right about that. It keeps you calm, knowing that there are people around you that can be there to protect you when you're distracted," he nodded in understanding, before he hunched his back, letting his chin rest on his hand, linked together by the fingers. "Forcing someone into the battlefield is wrong, no matter how you look at it. If they don't want to fight, then have them to do something else that they can."

"But… what if they're not good at anything at all?" She asked once more. While she initially thought that he was going to sigh at her asking too much, he just chuckled.

"Then it's fine. As a guild, we look out for each other," he raised his head to look at each and everyone here, all of them smiling as they looked at their leader. "It doesn't matter if you have skill or not. In the end, we're all humans who want to live, so helping each other, even those that can't do anything, is necessary. That's what I want to believe in, no matter what, just as my parents had taught me."

And the moment his speech ended, Klein was clapping like a madman, smiling from ear to ear. It didn't take long for the others to join in on the clapping, with people in the real world giving their own, though he couldn't hear it.

All of that happened so fast, so short, yet each of his words seemed to have resonated in the young girl's soul. She felt safe, unsurprisingly, as each and everyone else did whenever he was around.

No wonder Nautilus, Strea and Yuna looked up to him so much. He was never willing to gamble another person's life just to save his. Instead, he did the opposite.

She smiled then, tittering a bit. All eyes on her, the boy couldn't help but smile.

«Mechonis» worried him back there. But for now, it was better to just forget that and just enjoy the game.

* * *

A Week Later

The people in the real world were on their seats with quite the interest, watching Nier, leader of the famous guild called «Blank»—some were beginning to call him by that as well, at some point—training with his guild members.

Although, training was a lack for a better word. It was more of an assessment, really.

*Shing!*

"Whoa!" Nautilus was completely pushed backwards, almost falling onto the ground, until his leader managed to catch him by the arm, pulling him forwards so to stand up properly. "T-Thanks."

"It's fine. And it seems that you're more suited to blocking rather than parrying. Your strikes are heavy and strong, and you're quite used to a shield," he hummed, making a mental note. "You're more fit for a «Commando» and a «Sentinel» role."

"Yeah, I guess so…" He chuckled, slightly embarrassed that he had been completely defeated at the hands of Nier.

Then again, it wasn't all that bad, considering the fact that he had basically defeated _all_ of them. Hell, even Asuna, possibly the second best player in the guild, had lost to him, despite the difference in speed.

He made up for it with his cunning tactics, overwhelming his enemies with power and his ability to adapt to the situation was just deserving of a veteran rank for him.

He was good, no matter how you looked at him. He knew how to predict his enemies, how to craft a countermeasure to their battle style, and ultimately come out as the victor.

Now, all that there was on their minds was whether he or Heathcliff would win in a duel. And Argo just had to spread a poll everywhere.

No time passed without people muttering to each other whether he or Heathcliff would win.

He'll see to it that she gets half her portion in dinner, starting tonight.

In any case, it was Yuna's turn now, and he was quite curious as to how much she had changed ever since they departed.

"Okay, you ready?" He asked, «Binary» standing proudly in his hand.

"Yeah. I'm ready," she nodded. "I've practiced a ton of times. In fact," her grin turned into a sly look right after. "I think I can beat you."

"Ho? And on your first battle with me, no less? Well, isn't that quite the confidence you have there," he chuckled, shaking his left hand a few. "Well then, I don't suppose you mind if I go all out, then?"

"Wha—Hey! I know I said all that stuff, but you taking me seriously would kill me!" She pouted, looking as adorable as ever. "You went easy on everybody else, so why should I get the short stick?"

"Okay, okay. I only tease. I promise to go easy on you," he rolled his eyes in amusement. "Alright, here we go."

Sending a battle request to her, she clicked on the blue button, accepting it. A timer stood atop of their heads, and each took a stance of their own.

Yuna's was delicate, smooth. She held her rapier before her, the end of the sword aimed down towards the dirt. It was meant for her to be able to make a move to dodge or parry at quick timing, so speed was the main priority here.

But Nier… His stance was perfect. His sword, whilst held at his side, was still ready to move in to intercept an attack. While he stood completely still and straight, it was a fact that every of his cells were on alert now, ready to make even the most minute change in posture at any given time.

As to be expected of her crush, friend and leader.

Smiling at the thought, she readied herself.

3…

2…

1…

*Ding!* *Fwoo!*

"Hyah!" Yuna didn't want to let him get the first move, so she rushed in without wasting any time, rapier powering up as light began to spill from its smooth edges.

A simple thrust, Nier predicted, but kept other thoughts in mind. He shifted his weight to his left foot, before he jumped out of the way. As he thought, she thrust forwards, but regained herself just in time to activate a «Sword Skill» at him.

Aah, clever move. Activating «Shooting Star» at a very far distance ensured that when the skill finally deactivated, she was still close enough to him so to activate another «Sword Skill» to get a trike him. In this case, «Linear» would presumably be her go-to skill now.

Chuckling in amusement, he allowed her to activate the skill, thrusting her weapon at him. Still not as fast as he was, he raised his blade even quicker than she could, effortlessly backhanded the weapon, successfully parrying her.

Open to any attack, nothing actually damaged her, as he merely pushed her by the forehead, resulting in her falling back onto her rump.

*Thud!*

"Oww!" She winced as her bottom made contact with the hard ground, pouting at the boy. For all that's worth, he was extremely good, but can be teasing at times.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist," he chuckled, extending his arm out to her. "Come on."

Huffing, she took his hand, standing up despite feeling somewhat embarrassed. He had basically put her down without so much as having to actually nick her health. And the battle went down so quickly, too.

"Well, just so you know, that feint you pulled would have fooled almost anyone. They would needlessly block at first, so if you position your attack at the right angle, you would be able to hit them from the back, which would definitely help a lot, so that's a good thing to keep note of," he smiled, patting her. "You were great as always."

"A-Ahh, t-thanks…" She blushed, her heart screaming in bliss.

But of course, she had to look past her shoulder. Every other girls, albeit the purplette and ravenette, all looked at her with jealous stares. She simply smiled back, though no one could deny that she was feeling quite smug now.

Putting his sword away into its sheath, Nier sighed.

As of currently, he had finished his training with just about everyone, except Yui, whom he didn't want to give a sword to. She was far too young to be fighting, he thought. Although, it did sound rude, so he offered her the chance to at the beginning, but she did say that she didn't want to, so who was he to force her into the battle?

Everyone were special, and had their own perks and downs. And with that, he had been able to narrow each and every one to a role were they to initiate the «Paradigm Shift» tactic.

For the «Commando's» role, Asuna, Klein, he and Nautilus fit the role quite fine. Agil too had proved his mettle at times, so he was in the green.

For the «Ravagers», he, Asuna, Argo, Yuna and Strea would produce good results. He had enough practice to suit this role as well, so that was that.

For the «Sentinels», Agil, Klein, Sachi and Nautilus fit the role better than he would have given them credit for, as the latter two possessed high amounts of strength to hold off attacks and the others had shields on them. Although, if the situation called for it, he was more than willing to wield a shield himself.

«Medic» and «Synergist» was Yuna alone, since she was the only one capable of playing music and sing. Speaking of which, Nier had actually bought her a new lyre, and was pleased to hear that she liked it very much.

«Saboteurs» play an important role as well. And yet, there was no way any of them could debuff the enemy—maybe he could, but that may raise concerns among his teammates as to whether how he did it, or that he may have hacked the game.

…That was best left unknown.

For now, he decided that they should get some rest. Tomorrow, he'd find some place where they could go to grind for experience points. The newcomers and Yuna would certainly need the help.

He could already tell how long of a day it would be tomorrow. To reach level 73 in a day would be a mad thought.

Then again, if he wanted to, he could have gone straight for level 100, and reach that in just two days.

But sleep, to many, is bae. And he found himself loving sleep just as much.

* * *

The Next Day—Forest of Wandering

Yui had read up on dictators, military commanders and all sorts of things. And truth be told, they didn't really leave a good impression on the young girl.

They were vicious, that much was certain. They pushed their men to the limit so to produce a strong army. And yet, what good was an army if the men that formed the army were exhausted from such a strenuous training routine?

And yet, training with Nier proved to be none of that.

He was gentle, careful so to not exhaust his teammates too much. Whenever he saw fit, he would call them to leave the battlefield so to catch their breaths, allowing someone else to land the killing blow.

He was precise, wary of what was happening around him. In fact, he… looked afraid. Asking Asuna about it told her more than enough, that it had her respecting him even more than before.

He was afraid to lose those around him, and would do everything in his power to keep them safe. It was no wonder he was trying so hard, all the while making sure everyone else still relax.

An hour or two passed, she didn't know, and the group decided to take a break. Asuna and Yuna worked together to get the stew going, serving it to everyone. Klein and Agil were more than happy to serve on guard duty, and everyone else kicked back to rest.

Their leader was happy with the progress they made. His level, just as everyone else's, rose until it reached a satisfactory level of 75 now, with Nier just three more levels away from reaching eighty.

He needed to keep three steps ahead of his friends, and his enemies. A simple rule that every serious gamer must take full into full priority.

"Excuse me," he perked up at Yui's voice. Looking past the three of which he sat with his back against, he stared into her dark grey eyes. "Nier, can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You're free to sit here, by the way," he moved a bit to the side, allowing the small girl some room. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Are you scared?" She asked, knowing how much he appreciated people being direct, rather than beating around the bush. "Facing «Mechonis», I mean."

"…Yes," he hesitated at first, but the answer that she had been waiting for was unexpected.

"Really? But you don't really look that way," she blinked, eyeing him in curiosity.

Everything up to this point, as far as she's spent time watching him on and off battle, he was never tense. He was actually playing this game, rather than seeing it as a death world. He enjoyed it, smiled as he cut down monsters, and never ran out of jokes—or adorable stupidity, as some of the girls would put it—to lighten the mood.

He smiled as he faced bosses, from what Klein had told him. So him saying that he was scared was pretty much surprising.

"Truth be told, I always am," he scratched the side of his face, knowing that he had to bare his soul yet again. Just as he's done with Sachi and Yuna, he saw it fine to share with her a few things, he supposed. "I just don't want to wake up in the real world, only to have the death of my friends weighing on my mind. That's what scares me."

"I see…" She nodded slowly, trying to make sense of his words. And they were all genuine. What sort of friend would one be if they never cried for their friend's death? Only an inhuman would be capable of such, but Nier was one-hundred percent a human. "You're so caring."

"Well, I'm not Yuna or Sachi, but I try," he chuckled, patting her on the head.

There, again, she felt heat in her chest. A sense of attraction to this boy of whom she had just met. What was it about him that made her feel so attached to this young teenager? The answer never came, but she didn't mind.

This peace and quiet was certainly soothing. And just being beside him was just… amazing.

* * *

Two Days Later

"Alright, everyone! Gather up! I've got some things to say," everyone ceased their previous actions, turning their attention to their monochromatic-haired leader.

"What's up this time, Nier?" Argo asked in everyone's stead, just as curious as a magpie.

"As we all know, three days from now, «Knights of Blood» will be leading the raid on floor twenty-five. I'd like it if we could join them. Provide as much assistance as we could," he announced, earning nods from everyone, before Agil raised his hand. "Yes?"

"Does everyone need any new equipment? Maybe some potions? I've got a fresh stock on the shelves, so if you want anything, you'll have to tell me now," he told them all.

"Of course. Anyone else want to say anything else, or ask anything?" Nier's question got Yui raising her hand as well. He smiled. At least she's talking more now, which wasn't a bad thing. Talking to her was fun at times, and did lift weights off his shoulders and soul. He appreciated her help, even if he never voiced them out loud. "Yeah?"

"I think… I'd like to help you," she said, before her face showed determination. "I can be your «Saboteur»!"

"Wait, really?" He blinked, as if he had just been hit with an answer to an impossible equation. "No way… How?"

"W-Well, it's something that I don't really want to talk about," she looked away now, nervously fidgeting on the spot. "So… yeah."

"Never mind then. If you say you can do it, then we'll trust you to it," he nodded, before looking to the rest of his guild. "Everyone, I will say this once, and I will say it again. Please, live. I don't want to lose any of you, no matter what, so let's get out of this game together!"

"Yeah!" They pumped their fists into the air in unison.

* * *

Three Days Later

The fated battle was nigh, and they would soon need to clash blades with an indestructible being.

The longer they thought about it, the more they hoped that «Mechonis» turned into an actual being, and not remain as an 'Immortal Object'. Seriously, it sounded as absurd as a boy hitting the wall with a plastic sword, but in this game, everything considered silly could be counted as deadly.

And this was no exception.

The «Blank» arrived a little moment later, with everyone else having been early. The guild had a little breakfast, so to say, and were more than pumped for the battle.

As Nier addressed each soldier calmly, more often than not revered to by Nier-sama—he couldn't help but laugh at the formality, before asking them to just call him 'Nier', though getting disagreements from the mall—he was approached by a tall man, wearing white and red armour with a large kite shield and a cape.

"Aah, you must be Heathcliff," he whistled, eyeing this powerful man from head to toe. "This must be the first time we have met face to face, isn't it?"

"Indeed. And I must say, I am honoured to finally meet the great leader of the «Blank»," he spoke with a high amount of professionalism in his tone.

"Please, if anyone should be honoured, it's me. I mean, I get to meet the man who's rumoured to never had his health drop below health. Now that is something pretty cool," he chuckled. "But none of that stuff. If possible, I'd like you to treat me as you would treat your soldiers. I'm no better than a man who's fighting to see his family again, after all."

"Hmm, how down-to-earth you really are. I can see why everyone respects you," and the man wasn't kidding when he said that.

Though they had been late, everyone were really respecting of Nier and his guild, seeing them in a light stronger than anything else. They never felt afraid of them, due to how friendly each member of the guild was.

But the most troubling thing was… Well, pretty silly, but nonetheless troubling.

To say it simply, Nier was a leader who possessed charisma that rivalled any great man of which has had lived and brought great change to the world. As such, it made sense why so many of the younger girls were fawning over him, or why the older women would blush with a teasing comment or greetings shot at him each time he looked at them.

Of course, he didn't mind it. But the problem stemmed not from him, but from the opposite sex.

They looked at each other with eyes of carnivores, ready to tear them a new one if they ever made a move on the boy. Obviously, his guild members were the ones who were the most affected by this, holding affection towards him since the very beginning.

His guild was composed out of four boys, outnumbered by a number of six girls. And with almost all of them chasing after him, he still doesn't know that he's captured his hearts? Amazing.

He had a feeling that it was going to be a running gag from now on.

Well, that's all there was to it, but seriously though, the tension rose so fast, and it was so strong that it would have been easy to cut it with a solid knife. Now, if only he could ask the boy as to whether or not he would choose one of them already.

…Actually, scratch that. He could only imagine what sort of problem that would cause. Forget escaping «Sword Art Online», he thought as he sweat-dropped, an all-out war would be waged between the females!

To a majority of the world, that could be considered as funny. But to Heathcliff, that was certainly scary to even think of.

"Hey Heathcliff," the man turned to the boy once more, sensing curiosity in the boy's voice. "We're going up against «Mechonis». Can I expect you to be there for us?"

"A question that weighs heavily on most people's mind, but I had long decided when I stepped foot here. I indeed intend to help you, and we will get past this together," he assured the boy with a smile, one that the latter was willing to return with a soft laughter.

"Thanks. That'll at least keep me calm enough to focus on the battle," the boy sounded reassured enough, and opted to crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

Chuckling, Heathcliff was certainly not sure what to make of this boy. Never had he thought this boy to be so interesting.

Life was full of surprises sometimes. And it seems that this boy was on the good part of the surprises.

He knew… this boy could be the hope that the people need. The one that would undoubtedly save this world, and the one beyond this game of fragmented memories.

And another surprise came. Oh, but not all surprises are good now, are they?

"Nier!" A girl shouted as she ran towards the monochromatic-haired boy, a wide smile on her face that remained there. Stopping just an inch away from him, she was already bouncing up and down, looking ecstatic. "I did it! I know how to be your «Saboteur» now!"

"Really? Well, I'll be expecting a great deal from you, so do your best out there," he patted her head, eliciting giggles from the girl.

"Right!" She nodded.

She's been a tad bit more open with him and the others now, but no one could deny a sort of strong bond between the two of them. As expected of the person who always reached out to the people around him.

She smiled more now, had a slight boost to her confidence, and was not afraid to go to Nier whenever there was something she wanted to know, or there was just something bothering her.

She could trust him, as the countless other people do as well.

"Oh hey, I forgot to say this, but this here is—" The boy was just about to introduce the girl to the leader of the «Knights of Blood», but the sight before him had his breath hitched in his breath.

Shaky hands. Eyes rapidly blinking and wide. Mouth slightly agape. Shaky breath. Legs looking like they were about to give way.

If you described the Heathcliff using these words, no one would believe you. And yet, here stood the same man, fitting all those descriptions as his eyes rested solely on Yui.

"Err… Yui, meet Heathcliff, leader of the «knights of Blood»," he gestured to the man, before his hand moved to the little black-haired girl. "And this is Yui, the newest member to the «Blank»."

"Umm… Hi…" She greeted, hiding behind Nier's back, still nervous around new people.

"U-Uhh…" For once in his life, he had been rendered speechless. Completely fazed, he took a moment to regain his composure so to properly answer her, though even he stuttered a bit there. "T-The same."

That was all that was said before the leader walked away from the area, deciding that anywhere but there, with her was better. The boy and girl were confused as to what happened to him, but decided not to ask.

But Heathcliff, while never having to have admitted this, was indeed the man to have created the game. It made sense why he was so shocked at seeing the splitting image of the Yui he knew.

'How..?' He asked himself, heart beating faster than usual and mind swirling with all sorts of thoughts. 'I programmed her to be… Then how is she…'

In the end, he never attained the answers he so desperately wanted, and was left with a massive headache for the remainder of the day.

"Yui…" He whispered to no one, words blown away by the wind.

* * *

An Hour Later

Preparations were complete by now, and everyone were more than ready to go charging into the boss room. This was certainly going to be a battle to be remembered.

"Remember, everyone. When the boss battle is over, and when we reach the other side, I demand that I _see_ all of your faces, no matter what," despite his tone, everyone could tell that he was more pleading than anything. "Are all of you properly equipped? Do you have everything you need?"

"We're good to go, Nier!" Strea shouted, looking ready. That brand-new purple blade in the sheath on her left hip certainly looked strong, so there was no doubt that things were going to be fine for her.

"Well, alright then. Let's do this!" His cry was met with equally determined yells from the others.

And, despite wanting to share even a portion of such determination, Heathcliff couldn't help but stare at the black-haired girl, the sole person who was so much shorter than anyone else there. He wanted to smile, really, he did. But the pain in his gut made it all so much difficult.

Knowing that everyone were good to go, Nier gave a comfortable nod, before flattening his palm against the door.

In…

Out…

He couldn't just bite his hand in front of all these people now, could he? That would make people think he had some problem, and he for one disagreed.

It was just a habit.

And with one simple push, the two massive doors parted, revealing nothing but a very large room, with torches off and cobble paths here and there.

Stepping past the doors, Nier was ready to call the others to join him, the sound of closing was heard behind him.

He stepped into a trap!

"Oh shoot," was the last thing they heard from him before the door completely closed, shutting him off from the others.

 ***Persona Q—Laser Beam (Play Song)***

"Well, looks like escaping is out of the question," he blinked, before sighing, turning around, only to face «Mechonis». This time, however, it was slightly larger than before, its sword having to have increased in size as well. There was no facial expression on the titan, but Nier could picture it smirking at him. "Hmph. Won't change much."

Pulling out «Binary» from its sheath, he aimed it at the titan, which merely stared back as its blade was kept in its hand.

The people in the real world gasped at the turn of events. This was far too dangerous for him to face alone!

And Shiro, knowing this, ran upstairs into her brother's room, tapping away at the keyboards and clicking on some other things using the mouse.

'I can save you, Nii..!' She thought with full determination as her fingers moved by their own.

Back to the fight between man and machine, Nier jumped back to avoid getting bashed by that powerful sword of the creature. Huffing, the boy rushed forwards, delivering blow after blow as he allowed the game to carry his body, submitting to the system to give himself the boost in this battle.

Shouting, he leapt into the air, activating «Horizontal» as he did so before letting loose a powerful swing at the creature, downing it with just one blow.

Smiling in satisfaction, Nier wasted no time to revert his role to a «Ravager», focusing his strikes to be quicker, yet the strength behind each blow was more than enough to cut more health than any simple attack.

'I won't be able to keep it down… But I'll need to keep the combo up. It'll boost the damage output,' he thought, cutting in all manner of arcs as he hoped for the health bar—thank God that got fixed—to continue depleting with each strike.

The titan was beginning to stir, rising from its literal downfall. Planting its sword into the earth caused a magnitude, tossing the boy off and resulting in him falling down. Standing up now, the creature raised its blade, and was ready to swing it down.

*Shing!*

And yet, the large man that appeared before him, gigantic shield in hand, managed to block its sword, before propelling it backwards with a powerful sword thrust.

"Nier!" The boy turned to where the doors were, noticing that it was now open, with his guild members and every other players pouring into the room.

"Do not lose now. You said that you wanted to see everyone alive," Heathcliff spoke, possessing an unnatural amount of care. "They too wish to see you on the other side."

"R-Right," he nodded, not too sure what to say, before he stood up, his guild now standing behind him. "Alright everyone, let's give em' some!"

"RIGHT!" Every player shouted back, entering the fray.

* * *

He can do it.

She knows he can.

He's not going to lose.

He was a gamer, just like she was. And he never loses.

"Nii…" The little girl whispered, hope in her eyes. "You can win this game."

* * *

*Bzz!*

It wasn't even a minute later before robotic entities with shapes ranging from some form of poultry to even humanoids dropped from the ceiling, filling up a portion of the room as they rushed to their master's side, ready to provide support.

"The hell?! I thought this game only focused on bestial monsters!" Klein yelled, slamming his katana's hilt into one of those creatures. "And weird names too! «Mechon: M55/DREAD»? There's so many of em'!"

"Just focus on killing them!" Agil grunted as he bashed at a creature with his gigantic axe, before his fist glowed yellow, colliding with another «Mechon».

Men clashed blades with these mechanical lesser ones, facing off against what seemed to be easy kill, yet were actually intellectual creatures that possessed knowledge of evasive, defensive and offensive strategies.

Nier swiped his sword across «Mechonis's» blade, raising his aggro. Heathcliff used this chance to exact a «Sword Skill» onto the titan's back, causing it to stagger forwards. The younger swordsman replaced his sword for his bow, firing away at its chest.

Yet nothing seemed to happen.

"Never mind then," he blinked as he returned to his sword. "Yui! Can you get the debuffs ready?"

"Yes!" She nodded, putting both hands together to mutter a simple prayer. This better work, she yelled in her mind, or everyone she's met and befriended will be lost forever.

That will not happen!

"Hraghaa!" His black-white sword powered up, charged beyond its limits before it went forwards, digging into the metallic sword of the titan. Trying to pull back, it seemed to have been stuck.

*Khkhgh…*

Groaning, the titan swept the blade to the side, launching Nier towards some of the other players.

"Do not forget me," the leader of the «Knights of Blood» spoke with a serious tone, giving the creature no time to retaliate as he unleashed a powerful «Sword Skill» onto the titan, knocking it down.

"All «Ravagers»! Go for broke!" Nier, helping the players he was thrown at on their feet, yelled into the air, with his friends assigned to such roles nodding their heads.

The titan tried to stand, but the system disabled him from doing so. It was still stunned from the attack it received earlier.

All of a sudden, light seemed to whizz around it, before it all struck it at once. Soon enough, emblems of a cracked shield and a broken sword respectively appeared next to its remaining two health bars.

Still downed, it was completely open to the attacks from the strawberry-blonde, the yellow-haired girl, one with purple hair and a brunette with a lyre on her back.

Rapiers, sword and dagger repeatedly cut it, adding more to the combo count, which had already ranged above 50 hits at this point. Nier snickered, jumping into the fray and attacking as much as he could, every fibre of his being shouting at him to stop.

But, it mattered not. He was going to kill this thing, no matter what.

"All men with shields and «Sentinels»! Get ready to defend!" He shouted, before jumping back. "«Ravagers», switch out!"

The girls did so, backing away. The titan enacted the same trick, digging its massive sword into the earth. Everyone took cover behind the «Sentinels», in case of any further attacks.

"All capable men! Keep away the «Mechon»! If you're injured, back away to heal back to max health! Yuna, remain in the sidelines to heal and buff us!" The brunette nodded at her leader's words. "Yui, keep up the debuffs!"

"Of course!" Though young, she was already proving herself to be an invaluable part of this battle, despite the method of her skills not entirely known.

Still, it helped, so that was all that mattered.

"Asuna, Klein, help me out!" The two smiled at their friend and leader, rushing towards the titan with Nier right in front of them. "Hiyah!"

Jumping, he slammed his sword at «Mechonis», Asuna following it up with «Quadruple Pain», adding four more hits to the combo counter. Klein rushed in with a spinning slash, ending it with one powerful overhead slash, nicking at its health even more.

Another light of purple wrapped the titan, bursting as it indicated it had been successfully weakened some more.

*Khghk…*

«Mechonis» groaned once more, before it heaved its sword into the air, bringing it down in one fell swoop that managed to damage Klein, bringing him down to a quarter of his health.

"Klein! Get out of there!" Nier shouted.

"R-Right..!" The samurai nodded, jumping back before he could get hit again.

"Nier!" The boy turned to where Heathcliff stood. "On three!"

"Of course!" He nodded back, readying his sword.

* * *

With one click of the keyboard, she watched as the magic began to unload itself into the system. Light was her brother's name, as it would be his weapon as well.

* * *

*Khh…*

"Huh?" Staring down into his sword, whilst every other capable players were dealing with the minions around them and «Mechonis», his sword seemed to glow grey. "What the..."

Suddenly, a message appeared before him. Tapping on it, he was surprised.

' _From: «Blank»_

 _Use this sword skill; «Birth from Bytes». It will be enough._

 _To: «Blank»_ '

Whoever sent it to him was certainly hacking the game. It couldn't have come from the game's system. It was the most logical explanation there was. Still, that didn't mean he had time to worry now.

"Okay, «Birth from Bytes», right? Let's see how good you are!" He willed the sword to charge even more, letting the power build up. "Heathcliff! Now!"

"Right!" The man shouted back, rushing forth.

"Hrhhaa!" The boy joined the older swordsman.

In unison, the two activated their own ultimate «Sword Skills». «Divine Sword», Heathcliff's shield pulsated with light, slamming it at «Mechonis» before he allowed his sword to rush the thing, swinging countless of times with little to no mercy, slashing at its body and sword.

Caught off-guard by such a powerful attack, Nier used this chance to activate «Birth from Bytes».

The result was something he himself had not expected.

Music erupted into the air all of a sudden, as the sound of electric guitars and voices, both male and female, filled the room. It was more than enough to bolster his determination to end this battle.

Now and forever.

"Hrgha!" His sword moved so naturally, as if it was his limb now. It drew forth from one side, cutting at the titan in an X-slash, so fast that the blade looked like a blur. He thrust his sword forwards from the side of his face thrice, combo broken as the titan slammed its fist into his torso, yet he continued his attack. 'Not yet..!'

The sword sliced the titan's fist, an onslaught of powerful hits as he ravaged the creature with blow after blow. The colours grew stronger, and he continued to enact justice upon the titan, blade swinging faster and faster with each swing.

More and more did the attacks break its health, and more and more did the boy's heart pump faster. The pace of his attacks reached limitless, and as the voices sung and sung, so too did his spirit soar.

"Try this on for size!" He shouted as he brought his sword down in an overhead slash, before bringing it up in a diagonal slash. He cut more and more, ignoring the health bar completely now, turning all attention to his singing sword that broke past the game's damage count, «Birth from Bytes» delivering every painful combo.

And then he jumped back, leaping high into the air without the help of «Horizontal», before falling downwards in a spinning motion, colliding his sword with the titan's head.

And though it was entirely steel, pure and strong, his black-white sword managed to cut past it, guillotining all the way down until blade reached earth.

Panting, the sound of shards could be heard.

 ***Persona Q—Laser Beam (End Song)***

A message displayed into the air.

'THE BOSS HAS BEEN DEFEATED!'

They won… They won!

"YEAH!" The players and people in the real world erupted into loud cheers and laughter, having finally won against such a difficult battle.

"Nii…" Shiro was happy to see her brother having won. That look of joy on his face was definitely priceless in her eyes.

"A-Ahh…" He fell backwards onto the ground, head meeting hard cobble as his chest heaved up and down. "Ouch…"

That was super tiring. His body felt like it was on fire, constantly rotating between feeling frozen stiff and still burning. No doubt his heart wouldn't be able to handle this in real life, so thank God this was just a game.

He was ready to just stand up and say something, until the most despicable thing that could happen to him happened—

*Ching!*

Light shattered around him, and while everyone were worried that he was going to die, something else occurred.

"What..? What's wrong..?" He asked as he sat up, completely oblivious to why everyone was staring at him so much—more importantly, it worried him why the girls' faces were red when they looked at him. "Seriously though, what's wrong?"

"Umm… Nier?" Heathcliff gestured to his lower region, prompting Nier to look down as well.

There wasn't much change. His limbs were completely there, and so too did the feeling of accomplishment. There were no red scars on his body, meaning that he wasn't going to lose any health now.

No. Rather, it was the fact that he was completely bare, minus the boxers that hid his manhood, to the world.

So right now, he was in nothing more than his boxers.

So his avatar's body was there. Perfect skin, slightly pale, but nonetheless healthy. And the body of a thirteen-year-old's.

And he was here, wondering what just happened, until he finally understood the fact that his equipment had been destroyed due to facing so much irritation and constant damage from monsters and «Mechonis». It actually made sense. When an item was left untouched for too long, it would expire. If it was overworn, then it would be destroyed. Like a sword that has been overused. So it made sense that his armour, which was a literal dress shirt and a pair of simple pants, also got destroyed.

To summarize it once more; he was naked, with his underwear on, laying on the ground, in a room filled with so many other people.

He blinked.

Blinked.

Blinked.

Blinked…

"Eh?" He blinked again.

"YaAHH!" All girls screeched in embarrassment, turning away as their faces burned fully red, covering their eyes to look away from him.

"What?" He asked, at a loss. He stood up. "What's wrong?"

"It's more of your current condition that has them so flustered, Nier," Heathcliff turned away, coughing into his fist.

"That's it? My armour just broke. Is all," he sounded so casual. As if being naked with normal.

"J-Just cover yourself up! Please!" Asuna screamed, closing both eyes with her hands, though it didn't keep the blush covered as well.

"I don't have anything I can use," he shrugged, before a message popped up in front of him. Taking a look at it, it was a weapon of sorts. "The… «Monado»? Well, that's certainly a curious-sounding sword that I've ever heard so far."

"NIER!" They all shouted.

"I don't have any clothes on me! Jeez, calm down," he sighed, before walking off to where the doors were. "Come on, let's just—"

"Cover yourself first and foremost," Klein sighed as he tossed a coat he had on him onto his younger friend. Seriously though, for some genius, he can be pretty dumb at times. Pretty ironic, I know. "And here. I've got extra greaves."

"Greaves? They're going to limit my movement. I don't want to wear something like that then," he scoffed.

"Just for now, alright? We'll get you something new sometime later," the samurai sighed once more. "Now come on. New floor!"

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes, not finding why everyone were embarrassed about him not being properly clothed. Man and woman lived bare when they first stepped foot onto Eden, so what was there to be embarrassed about?

It was strange, but forget that. He was not normal in the sense that he still doesn't know a lot. In modern society, that was just called human ethics.

Everyone arriving at the door, Nier placed his palm on the door, taking in a breath.

"Okay then. Let's just get going," he pushed forwards, and they were now now on floor fifty-six.


	10. Chapter 9

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 9: For Anyone'`

 _He's confusing, this was no doubt._

 _Constantly taking risks had worried everyone to no end. And yet, he would never stop doing so if it does indeed benefit the people._

 _He sees himself as the pawn in the game of a king, and would put himself in danger to save those of which he believes he can._

 _Daft does him no justice. Oblivious is far too weak of a word. Why can't he see that he is indeed the king?_

* * *

Floor 48: Lindarth

"Asuna, why are we here again?" He asked with disinterest, trying to adjust this new, uncomfortable shirt around him. The greaves particularly felt too out-of-place.

"Because my friend, who is a blacksmith, is working here, and if by chance, she could forge you some armour along the way," she said with a smile.

"For your information, that simple outfit I made was stronger than even Klein's armour," he scoffed, still intent on just leaving, but the girl's ironclad grip on his hand rendered his efforts to just leave futile.

"True that," the man in question nodded. "I mean, it lasted all the way since we've been fighting on floor one! Ain't that something?"

As of currently, Nier and his guild had taken a trip to the town of Lindas—courtesy of Asuna there—that many would mistaken for some sort of farm town, had there not been the church and number of medieval houses with its own watermill.

While reluctant to do so, there were three reasons as to why Nier agreed to come with Asuna here.

One, the lack of clothes and armour was still more than enough to turn a girl's face red with embarrassment. Though he seemed unaffected by it, and thankfully enough the guys seemed no worse than him, none of the girls could maintain their eyes on such beauty—obviously, none of them dared say that to him.

Two, the strawberry blonde's friend had apparently set shop here, operating as a blacksmith. Quick research all lead to a girl named Lisbeth, who was known to be extremely good at making both armour and weapons. She could craft whatever her customers required of her, and that was more than enough to get him curious.

Three, if there were clothes that need sewing, then he had to look no further than Ashley, a fellow tailor who had ascended the ranks and made a name for herself. Even so, the fact that she had made a policy for herself so to only take custom jobs of interest and to only use the rarest materials was considered skeptical, but he supposed he could give her the benefit of the doubt and see how good she was.

In any case, the guild, consisting of ten members up til' now, including Yui, were going to need a place with a lot of space. There was no way any simple inn was going to house all of them, judging by how freaking large they were, so Asuna—yet again—proposed that they stay in the rundown houses somewhere on the outskirts of town.

While it was certainly quite a distance away from the main town, Nier supposed it was fine. It was free, so that was all that mattered.

In any case, Nier was on his way to Lisbeth's shop, with Yuna, Asuna and Klein accompanying him, leaving the rest to watch over their temporary base.

"Seriously though, I don't get what's so wrong with me wearing nothing at all. I mean, it's not like I possess curse marks on my body or anything," the boy sighed for the second time today, surprised that he hadn't done more than that.

"Look… You may not know this, but not wearing your clothes in public is not normal," the girl mumbled some other things the last part, but all he could catch was 'hot…', which made him wonder what she meant.

It was certainly an amazing trait, for sure. The ability to tell the temperature of something just by looking at it. That would help very much, he thought.

And as always, he was wrong, though no one would really tell him that.

*Creak!* *Ding!*

"Lisbeth!" The rapier-wielder greeted with much energy, smiling brightly.

Taking a good look inside the shop, Nier was practically amazed with what he was seeing. A variety of weapons and armour were on display left and right, crafted out of good iron and other materials that he wasn't too sure about.

And while he would have dared to think that this Lisbeth person was indeed someone who was possibly a buxom woman with a mind of a genius, never in his wildest thoughts would he have expected a cute-looking girl with coloured pink hair with what could be mistaken for a maid's outfit.

"Huh. Not who I was expecting," he blurted out. "Forgive me, no offense."

"None taken," the girl, Lisbeth, waved off his concerns with a bright smile. "And hey Asuna! Good to see you doing well."

"Yup! And you seem so yourself as well," she nodded back, gesturing to the little group behind her. "I'd like to introduce you to some of our guild members. Nier, Klein and Yuna."

"I see. Nier, leader of the famous guild called «Blank», and sometimes called that as well," the pink-haired girl teased, earning a curious look from the boy.

"Really? I never really heard people calling me «Blank» before. Does everyone have a title that I'm not familiar with?" He asked, wondering about that.

"Oh, why yes indeed," the blacksmith smirked as she gestured to each of his friends. "Asuna here is called the «Lightning Flash» due to how quick she is, that man friend of yours is the «Wandering Samurai» and that girl is… well, she doesn't have a title yet."

"Seriously? How come I've never heard of these titles before this?" He scratched his head, possessing a look of confusion on his face.

"You're always busy looking out for others or training us whenever those sort of things happen. Or you're probably out in the fields killing monsters or taking care of requests," Yuna giggled in amusement, though none of which she's said has been a lie.

No one could deny that he was a busy bee. Constantly busying himself with something, whether it had to do with the welfare of somebody else or just wanting to get stronger. And that desire only grew stronger with the battle against «Mechonis», which, while not certainly looking to be the case, had actually exhausted him terribly.

That new «Sword Skill» of his was immensely powerful, considered to be OP at times. And it was both good and bad.

The good thing about «Birth From Bytes» was that it was a skill that unleashed as many combos as it possibly could onto the enemy, with each strike equivalent to the strength of ten regular attacks. It was certainly overpowered, if you took into account that even one normal attack from the boy was enough to kill a «Drunken Ape». And it only ran off on just half of his total SP, so he could use it twice, before needing to recharge it.

However, the bad thing about it was that it also ran off on his stamina, unlike normal «Sword Skills», which would usually result in him tired out at the end of the attack. There was certainly no way he could use two of that in a row. What's worse was that, as demonstrated in the battle, if he did indeed fall due to exhaustion, then there was no way he was going to be able to recover quickly.

«Cure», his ability to heal himself from any status ailments and restore his health, did not branch out to his stamina, so there was a flaw there. Once he gets out of here, he'll make sure to fix that.

In any case, just as Nier was about to say something to Yuna, a lightbulb popped above his head, reminding him of something that he wanted to ask Lisbeth.

"Lisbeth," he called, earning her attention. "I actually have a request for you. It's nothing hard, really. Just want you to check up on a sword that I picked up from a boss battle."

"Huh. Sure, I can help," she retreated to her counter, folding both arms and resting them on the counter, looking curious. "Where is it?"

"It's here," he tapped on a few buttons, before the weapon materialised before him. And daresay, it was so impressive, that it elicited gasps from the others. Even he himself had a look of surprise.

A beautiful weapon crafted of a strange red iron that Lisbeth swore she had never seen before this. It was a lone hilt, with a large circle in the centre of the body, the blade itself protruding upwards. And yet, it didn't seem necessarily sharp, which was a strange design all on its own.

Taking the sword from his hands, she was surprised that it was lighter than how it looked. She, or anyone really, would have mistaken it for a buster blade.

"Huh. Certainly didn't expect it to be light," the boy spoke. Hey, did she just read her mind? Wait a minute—

"Don't tell me you never pulled this sword out of your inventory before this?" She asked with an eyebrow cocked.

"Nope. He's been keeping it in his inventory all this time, so that's why all of us were pretty much surprised. None of us have seen anything like this," his best friend spoke in his stead, shrugging. "So, what's it about?"

Tapping on the information of the weapon, the details certainly had her curious.

"It says ' _A weapon of the divine, and the only one that can match the «Mechon»_ '," she read, visibly surprised by what it said. Certainly one not to be taken lightly, if anything.

"The only one that can match the «Mechon»? That's strange. We didn't face any difficulties during our fight with them on floor fifty-five," Yuna pointed out, hums of agreement from the rest of her guild.

"That's definitely a strange description, but I suppose it has its own lore," he shrugged. "So hey, how strong is it?"

"Hang on…" Wondering what she meant, it didn't take long for her to suddenly bring up a new menu, one of which had him wondering what it was.

As far as he knew, looking at a weapon gave you several options; to either return it into your inventory, to look at its description, or to discard it. And yet, looking at her now, there was a new menu on display.

Everyone leaned in closer to look at what it was.

"Umm… it's strange. There's this section called «Monado Arts», and it's got this long list of skills, if you could call it that," she spoke out, earning questioning looks from the others. "Look, I get it. It doesn't make sense, but I'm not kidding. There's «Buster», «Shield», and other things."

"Really? Well, certainly something to look into later," the boy was certainly not expecting of such a sword to be given so much attention, but he supposed it was fine. Taking it back from Lisbeth, he gave her a slight bow. "Thank you for taking a look at it."

"It's nothing. I mean, first person to look at something this cool, so who am I to complain?" The smile she had on her meant that she wasn't at all annoyed, so that was good. "So, where are you guys hanging out at right now?"

"We have a base outside of town. We're currently staying there because our numbers are too big for any inns here to house," he explained, Asuna nodding.

"Right. With us four, there is a total of ten people. Even so, we haven't decided on where we actually want to build our base, so we decided on moving around here and there until we can finally decide on a place," she added to her friend's words.

"Wow, guild's steadily growing. You guys planning on growing any bigger than that?" She asked as she took a look under the counter, the sound of iron and coins tinkling could be heard.

"No, not by a long shot. If anything, I'm only intending to open my doors to those of whom we've fought alongside, or possess a connection to any of our members, either by familial or just as allies," he shook his head, earning a look of confusion from her. "Say for instance… Yuna, here."

"Yes?" She blinked, not expecting the topic of the conversation.

"Our recent members are Nautilus and Strea, both of whom are her friends and have fought with her during her temporary alliance with «Knights of Blood». As such, they were given the chance to join the guild," he explained, earning himself a hum of understanding from the pink-haired girl.

"Huh. Seems okay, so far. But you sure you're okay with that sort of way? What if your guild gets too big?" She asked again.

"I'm fine. So long as it's easy to maintain, I wouldn't mind," he shrugged.

There was a strange way that he phrased his words, but she could sense that he wasn't lying. Just as she was about to ask him something, the sound of a plate shattering above them could be heard.

The group of five looked up there, all confused except Lisbeth.

"Sorry. Just some friends of mine," she spoke. "They're bunking in with me currently."

"Let me guess. They're being chased by the higher-ups due to some form of traitorous act, in their eyes, and require a place to hide?" Though Nier's suggestion had a light jesting tone, hinting to the fact that he was merely joking, the look of surprise on the blacksmith's face was more than enough to say otherwise.

"Wait, how do you know?" She leaned forwards, eyeing him warily.

"Uhh, I was actually just kidding," he blinked, not sure what to say in this situation. "It was just a shot in the dark, really. I wasn't actually expecting my guess to be right."

"Lesson learned, never ever mess with the kid. He's just too smart for his own good," Klein sniggered, his friend rolling his eyes in response.

*Tk tk tk…*

There was the sound of footsteps, before the door somewhere to the side, which connected this room to the floor upstairs, swung open, revealing a little girl with pigtails, light brown hair and wide brown eyes.

Well, she was certainly still older than Yui, Nier thought.

"Lisbeth! We're in trouble!" She cried out, the pink-haired blacksmith jumping slightly at that.

Despite knowing that none of this was certainly his business, Nier was quick to make due for the room upstairs, his friends trailing behind him.

Reaching the end of the corridor, he pushed aside the door, revealing a woman with red hair, dressed in a simple white tee with a black skirt, clenching her wrist with her left hand as a dagger was planted on her desk.

And it wasn't hard to say that someone must have tossed it through the open window to the right.

He didn't waste any time looking out, quickly scanning the area for any signs of players. And yet, all there was for the eyes to see, was the vast stretch of greenery and trees, the sun dipping past the horizon and dyeing everything yellow.

"Rosalia!" He heard Yuna call out. Turning around, the two girls shared a moment of surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"A-Ahh, it's nothing…" The redhead replied, uncharacteristically nervous, unlike the time when she was confident and brave back when they fought against each other.

"Did you meet her during your time in Heathcliff's guild?" The boy asked, earning himself a nod from the girl.

"Right. She was one of the officers Nautilus, Strea and I had to fight before we were allowed to leave the guild," she explained briefly, attention returning to the redhead. "But that aside, what's going on?"

"She's being hunted," all heads turned to the voice at the doorway, revealed to be Liz, who was frowning. The first time, the boy noted since he got here. "There's been some… stuff going on, so she's in trouble now."

"Then there is no argument over the fact that you're not safe here," he pulled out «Binary», equipping it. "Klein, you and I are to search the area clean. Asuna, Yuna, take the three of them to our base, and quickly. I doubt anyone who attacked you will give you the time to escape."

"What? Then what of my shop?" This was the only place of which Lisbeth was proud to call home, and losing it would mean the lost of almost everything.

"Close it. If there's any players coming around, then sorry, but you're not going to do business with someone potentially after your heads around," he shook his head, not able to see that happening. "Come on, pack your things. We're leaving."

Reluctant to leave her shop, Lisbeth and her two friends did as they were told, getting their belongings with them before they followed after Asuna and Yuna out, with Klein and Nier covering the area without so much time wasted, trying to find any red players.

Despite having upgraded his «Detection» skill, Nier could sense no players in the area, which meant that they must have left already.

Troubling, but justice will play its cards someday. Time was all they needed for now.

* * *

Floor 48: Outskirts of Lindarth

"Checkmate," Sachi's voice was confident as she moved the rook to the front, capturing the enemy king and disabling any sort of advancements. The look of disbelief on Nautilus's face, or Nau-Nau as Strea puts it, was priceless.

"Whoo! That makes it Sachi's fifth consecutive win in chess!" Argo clapped, the others sharing a look of amazement. Despite her being challenged solely by the young swordsman and Agil, that still meant something.

"T-Thanks. But I doubt I'd get anywhere against Nier," she chuckled, everyone else nodding in unison. Being the smart ass he is, chess is probably gonna' be second nature to him."

"Pshaw!" The previous member of the «Knights of Blood» giggled at her blue-headed friend, wearing purple battle armour, unlike her previous matching reds and whites. She liked this one more, since Nier picked it out for her and it actually suited her. "You just need to have more faith in yourself!"

"R-Right..." The bluenette nodded.

*Creak…*

"Oh, they're back!" Strea bounced in her spot, beaming when a familiar brunette entered the building, before a confused frown formed on her features the moment she took notice of the red-haired woman. "Rosalia?"

"Who're they, Asuna?" Agil asked, subconsciously keeping a hand to the hilt of his axe.

"Long story. We'll fill you in once Nier and Klein gets back," she answered swiftly, not missing the action in the slightest. Mouthing an apology, Agil relaxed once more.

It didn't take all that long for their monochromatic-haired leader to come back, his samurai friend just beside him, both sharing tired looks and swords in hands.

The boy spared no time to lie down on the mattress on the ground, waving in the air once before falling asleep.

"Whoa, that's quick," Asuna blinked, not expecting him to go out that fast. "Well… since Nier's out, I suppose I'll tell you guys."

So they talked. Talked about the turn of events. About why these girls were going to stay here in the meantime.

Her friend, Lisbeth, added more to the story. She had met Rosalia and Silica on floor thirty-five while she was on one of her search for some rare ore. It was then that the three met, the two being chased by «Laughing Coffin».

Aah, no wonder they were hiding.

"Wait a minute. They tried to kill Rosalia in a safe area. Surely, that wouldn't have worked," the large man pointed out, everyone turning the fact over and over in their heads and realising that it was true.

"You're right…" The once-was sleeping boy rose to a sitting position, yawning as he scratched his head. "That… was merely a warning. A reminder that more is coming, and that you won't be safe once you step foot out of these lands."

"Seriously..?" For once, the woman genuinely felt afraid, never once expecting herself to be targeted by some dangerous men. Looking down, she bit her lip.

Great, she thought. She's made two friends, and is troubling them as well as another guild. And not just any simple guild, but one that is lead by the powerful and famous «Blank», the guild being named the same thing as well.

"Actually, something does make me curious. Something that you haven't necessarily told us," the boy crossed his arms, looking straight at the woman, who now was looking at him attentively. Those eyes were reading her, searching for the most minute changes in her body movement and the like. "Tell us, why is the «Laughing Coffin» after you?"

That question had raised curious heads, and soon all turned to Rosalia. In fact, even Silica and Lisbeth were unaware of such reason, given how they too looked at her, wanting answers.

"…I was a member of it once," she admitted, shocked gasps pouring in from every direction, albeit the boy. "But never once did I actually _kill_! Fine, rob them and leave them armless, yes, I admit it. Criminal, selfish and inhuman. Yes, I did indeed do all that, but I would never take another man's life for as long as I live. It wouldn't do well on my conscious…"

"Rosalia…" Silica blinked with a frown, unable to believe all this. She's partied with her for a short while, yet she had never thought of it to be this bad.

"I see. So, in their eyes, you're a stray who's a threat to them, all because you may be able to expose their whereabouts and the like," he nodded, understanding a bit of these madmen's mentality. It was certainly difficult to reason with such creatures, much less understand the way they think. "So you escaped in hopes of not becoming part of them?"

"Yes. And yet, it seems that they were intent on keeping their members part of them," she grimaced, face expressing a bit of disgust and fear. "…Or be rid of them."

There was silence right after, the time used up for the boy to think up on a few things.

One thing for sure, there was no way they could just throw her under the bus. That was both cowardly and practically inhuman, both of which clashed against his ideals; he wanted everyone to live, even if they were heartless bastards such as the «Laughing Coffin».

But then came the problem of keeping her with them. They'd have to be vigilant at all times, and, added to the fact that their base was currently on the outskirts of the town, therefore being out of the safe zone, they're free to kill her off even in her sleep.

'Tsk… How troubling,' he narrowed his eyes as he looked out the window, overlooking the plains. What were they supposed to do?

And then, as if he were a man to have been struck with an idea in the showers, an idea of his own popped into his mind, one that was both safe to them all and would rid them of their troubles.

He returned his attention to his guild.

"I have an idea, though you won't like it," he began, and sure enough no one liked it.

And when he said no one, he wasn't kidding. Let me emphasise on that.

 _No one_ liked it.

Finished with all his talk about how it would only put him in the field of danger, while maintaining a safe proximity for the guild, everyone were deep in thought, pondering.

When Asuna opened her eyes, however, he did not expect the look of seriousness, much less her tone.

"Nier is to be put under lock-down. He is to be kept in the base, unable to leave the area until further notice," she spoke, not joking around. "And members are to rotate between themselves to guard him, ensuring that he does not leave."

"H-Hey! I don't remember making you Vice-Commander or anything!" He sweat-dropped with a shocked look.

"Umm, don't you remember? We practically chose her as the Vice-Commander because you said 'whoever thinks they're up to the task can do so'," Klein butted in, earning nods from everyone.

Nier sweat-dropped, that part of detail slipping his memory because of how insignificant he thought it was. And now, it was coming back to bite him.

Figuratively, of course.

Now, knowing that when Asuna used such a tone, he knew that she was completely serious. Joking around was not really a trait of hers, compared to the shy Sachi or the carefree Yuna. Then again, looking at them, despite their soft looks, equal determination shone in their eyes as it did in the strawberry blonde's own.

He sighed. He's going to need to explain again.

"Look, it's as they say. 'Face the obstacles head-on to rid yourself of your fear', or something alone those lines," though he knew it wasn't going to work with them, his thoughts were confirmed once they all gave a shake of the head. And in perfect unison, no less. "Seriously?"

"Nier, it's a risky plan, both to you and us. We're not letting you meet the «Laughing Coffin»," there was a hint of fear, well-masked by the amount of poison that laced through her words. She sighed. "Plus, you'll be doing this alone. Surely you know how dangerous it is?"

"Well, sure, it's certainly a risk if they discover my true identity, but I doubt they would be able to so. I've never really exposed myself in public all the time, so I doubt they'd catch onto me that fast," there was logic behind his words, but none of them were willing to give in. "Look, this is our only chance."

"What do you mean? We could just find someplace safe and make base there," Silica suggested.

"Unless you'd rather rotate between each other to guard each other's backs at night, just to keep out any intruders, I'd rather this be the way. I mean, none of you are going to be in danger, and with my skills, I'll easily put them down. Kill two birds with one stone. Or, in this case," he pointed at himself, smiling. "One human."

"Nier! We're not sacrificing you, no matter how much you ask of it!" This time, out of everyone there, it was Yuna to have reacted first, eyes wide with fear. There was nothing to hide it this time, and he could see it quite well. Even her body was tense as she suddenly reached out to him, holding onto his arms as if he was about to leave.

Blinking in surprise, as everyone else were, it took her a moment to understand what had just happened. And when the information clicked in her, a blush formed on her face as she started sputtering incoherent sentences, pushing away from him.

He was not sure what to say in this situation.

"Nier, why are you so willing to go so far for me?" Rosalia suddenly asked, sounding sad. There was no mistaking the fact that this boy was far too kind, even to strangers such as her, who had admitted to committing sins towards others.

"Because if I don't, who else will?" He scoffed, as if it was so obvious. Her surprise was understandable, urging him to continue. "Look, I don't want PoH, leader of the red guild, to spread his mentality to other players. At the end of the day, all we'd get amongst us is a bunch of murderers, so I don't want that. As such, I may as well take matters into my own hands."

"What? But you're seriously going up against a whole guild. How the heck are you supposed to survive, much less defeat them?" Lisbeth spoke next.

"Simple. The idea will come to me, in due time," he shrugged, earning sweat-drops and sighs from the others. "But I stand firm with what I said. I see this to be the most effective way of getting rid of the red players. We bring them down, then I'll send them off to imprisonment. Easy as that."

Easier said than done. No matter how much of a genius he was, there was just a lack of understanding towards what his friends felt.

Such example was when Yuna was literally forced—though she would never admit that, as she adored him to even say that—to join the «Knights of Blood», and he did not understand why his friends were initially disappointed. In fact, the reason was still a slight blur to him, but he did not dwell on it for too long.

Such selflessness was ultimately recognized as pure recklessness. As a means of thinking that himself was not as important as the lives around him, that he was just a mere pawn to a grande scheme.

How blind, yet admirable he was. To place himself in the ranks of the lowest of the low, constantly working his best to help the others. It was no wonder why the «Blank» grew to be famous as it is now in such a short time.

Still, why couldn't he see the dangers behind such an operation?

Again, it was his strong belief that such a plan would carry out smoothly, and that he would be able to make it out alive. Was it stupidity? Naïveté? Or perhaps both? To most men and women, they would certainly say that, but to those that truly understand him…

It was Nier trying to save everyone. His fear.

"…At the very least, let one of us accompany you," Asuna finally agreed with such a decision, though the heavy feeling in his gut did not fade. The potential of him getting hunted was still high, after all. Even then, with someone else with him, it would at least put her at a calm state of mind.

"Oh, no. I am not risking it. I've no doubts that they'd recognize you in an instance, and as such, I'd rather not have you exposed by accident," he shook his head, the idea sour on his tongue. "I work better alone."

"But you're not alone. We've been fighting as a team, and we've done so much better than ever, right?" Yuna pointed out, smiling.

"W-Well, that is true, but—" He was cut off before he could finish.

"Then let one of us go with you. Please?" She would have loved it if it was her, but if it wasn't, then at least he wouldn't be alone—still, if it _was_ her…

"I'll go," a young voice spoke, and in no time wasted, all heads turned to the source, disapproving looks of fear and worry written on their faces.

"No. Yui, there is no way I'm bringing you with me. It's far too dangerous, and I'd feel comfortable with everyone else here watching over you," he shook his head, unable to accept it.

"And I'd worry for you just the same," she sighed. "I… know it's selfish, but I need to learn. I can't always keep hiding behind other's backs. Like Yuna-nee. She may have started off as your «Synergist» and «Medic», but now, she can fight perfectly well."

"Ahh… Crud," he bit the inside of his cheek, contemplating between letting her come with him or not.

Having her come with him was not a huge problem, per se. It was the fact that they would be crossing enemy territories was what scared him immensely. The thought of losing her to them…

No. Shaking his head, he would not let the image of blood and a severed head enter his mind. She was going to return to everyone, safe and unharmed, and he'll make sure his sword and bow will keep her that way.

"Nier, I think she should go with you," Agil voiced out his opinion. "I mean, the girl's a «Saboteur», though we may not really know how it works. But still, she'll be a big help to you, so let her."

There was a slight pause, Nier bringing up his hand to stop everyone else from talking. He needed time to think about this.

As he hopes, the plan should work.

His guild will be moving forwards, and he'll take down «Laughing Coffin», or as much as he could—his friends' words had him rethinking on fully eradicating the guild, which would probably be difficult to accomplish.

He thought, and thought, and thought, and what could have been years in his mind translated to only one in-game minute, the sound of wind and birds outside this rundown house giving a bit of sense of peace.

Then his eyes opened.

"Fine," he nodded, all heads showing smiles now. "Then our plan is this. All of you are to remain here. This building is in the range of the town's safe area, so nothing bad will happen here. Yui and I will be looking for «Laughing Coffin's» base and try to hinder their progress, and possibly get rid of them. We'll be able to stop them from pursuing Rosalia in the long run since they would be too focused on rebuilding themselves, and cut down their numbers."

"You don't intend to kill them, do you?" Klein's question was met with worried looks from everyone, but the monochromatic-haired boy returned it with a look of thought.

He had already known that, were someone to try and take his life, then he would need to retaliate. If he'd have to stain his cognitive hands with their own pixelated blood…

He didn't know whether to feel scared, terrified, or plainly worried. He's been killing monsters, so to go after a man this time would surely be a different thing.

And Kayaba's already solidified the fact that whoever died in this world would indeed die in the real world. So if Nier killed someone, he'd…

He'd…

"I don't know," he answered genuinely, both parts of his subconscious clashing against each other and enacting an equilibrium. "On one hand, I see the need to put them down for good. And yet… the other tells me to put them behind bars, and enact justice upon them in the real world."

It made sense, didn't it? Proper trials could be carried out, and no one could complain.

But they killed people, and for the sport of it no less. Surely taking their lives himself wouldn't be bad?

But if he killed them, then the blame of their deaths would shift to him. And then he'd be the one behind bars.

Aargh, everything's so confusing!

"Okay, okay! How about this? We'll just sort things out later, alright? For now, just do what you want to do and stay here. Don't even think about stopping us now," he instructed, earning reluctant nods from everyone. "Good. Yui, pack up. We're going out on an expedition."

* * *

The Next Day

As everyone stood outside of the rundown houses they had been using as a sort of base for the meantime, now they were forced to bid their farewells to the two that stood adjacent to each other. Yui, a girl who had just recently joined them, and Nier, their leader, possessing a look of confidence.

Man, even in a bad situation, he could remain optimistic. What people would do for half that confidence…

"Nier, you sure you're fine wearing just that? The armour's not going to last, you know," Lisbeth huffed, the boy shrugging.

"It's more than fine. A simple bleached dress shirt with grey trousers, with just elbow pads, knee guards and a cloak," these words described what he wore, and truth be told, he looked like some rogue. "It'll keep me concealed until then. Not a bad choice, if I do say so myself."

"Well, it certainly is better than wearing nothing…" Klein noted, everyone else making sounds or gestures of agreement.

"Hhaa…" He rolled his eyes. "Well, Yui, are you ready?"

"Of course," she nodded.

"Then let us be off," he turned on his heels, cloak trailing after him. She didn't hesitate to follow him, despite knowing that the dangers to come would put their lives on the line.

She trusted him. When has he ever failed them?

* * *

"This is still a bad idea, and you know it…" Agil had a worried look, unfaltering despite having seen enough young men march off to their deaths in this game. Nier was a good friend, so not worrying about him was difficult.

"I know. But you know him," there was a hint of melancholy behind Asuna's laugh, one that others could understand. "Once he decides on something, he's never going to take 'no' for an answer. That's just how he is."

"Damn… I just hope nothing bad happens to him," the samurai muttered, wishing that he could've tagged along. But with Yui there, he supposed nothing too horrible could happen.

There was a collective sighs from everyone there, watching as the outline of their friends slowly blurred into the trees, before becoming nothing. They were now untraceable, and all they could do is progress up the floors and wait things out.

It was several painful minutes before they started moving out, sending silent prayers towards their leader.

And Rosalia, Lisbeth and Silica were surprised by just bow much they respected and loved him. Was he truly that admirable?

* * *

That Night—Floor 27

Every guild were kind enough to give off information as to where their bases would be located at; «Knights of Blood» were on floor fifty-five, Nier's guild had specified that they hadn't decided yet, and some others had their own places.

Now, of course, being a red guild meant that everyone would be hunting you at every chance they'd get. So of course, it meant that they had to keep their locations a tight secret, no matter what.

And of course, what better way to start than not sharing your guild's base location?

Seriously though, PoH, leader of the «Laughing Coffin», had left no clue, or even a riddle as to where to find them. How were people supposed to be members then?!

It was this moment that Nier began thinking as to whether he should have just remained with his guild, taking the time to gather information before blinding jumping into the fray.

Insert: facepalm.

Nonetheless, he's already here, and it would be a waste to go back. All that time down the drain, and for what? No. He'll just have to make do.

*Grroaaan…*

Oh yeah. Food.

"Yui, what would you like?" He asked as he manipulated his inventory, pulling out «Monado». He traced his fingers along the edges. Smooth, unlike any other swords he's touched.

"Oh, I don't mind. Anything's good," she shook her head, wrapping the cloak around her tightly.

"You sure? Last I checked, you seem to have a strong distaste for herbs, and favour spicy things amongst other things," he smiled, noticing the way her body stiffened. 'Bullseye.'

"Y-You noticed?" She was surprised that he actually noticed all that, and just from a few days of lunch and dinner, no less.

"Of course. It's necessary to keep track of my friends' likes and dislikes so to prepare for things like this just in case," he shrugged. "Think about it. Feeding Klein a single lettuce will be near impossible to taming a dragon larger than Pina."

"Heehee! That's so true!" She giggled, the fact being so hilarious. He smiled, happy that he got that over. Now to get the food.

"So, spicy roast for you. Just wait here, I'll be back soon enough," he stood, leaving «Monado» by her side. "If anything, just scream really loud. I'll come over just as quick."

Nodding in understanding, she waved him off as he departed deeper into the woods, leaving the small cave they had made camp in.

Grasshoppers, wind, danger. Sounds that brought music to the background, the sense that anything could basically pop out of the bushes and kill him. Though, whatever would be going for his head, be it player or «Killer Mantis», would need to try hard.

Plus, «Null: Damage» would keep his health intact, no matter what.

The search wasn't all that long, as he soon stumbled upon a «Wild Boar» or two, and his bow alone made quick work of them. Now, off to find something to make it spicy. If chilli and pepper doesn't grow in this damn game, then he was more than sure that he was going to make a substitute for those two.

Asuna's done it before. She basically invented soy sauce in this game using whatever ingredients she found. Well, if she was going to play that way, just she watch.

Just she watch…

Returning to the cave with a handful of items on him, getting dinner started didn't take long at all, and soon enough, the two enjoyed roast pork, with a touch of hot pepper to go with it—who would have thought they grew on this floor?

And though the girl smiled from ear to ear, face warm as she enjoyed such a treat, Nier enjoyed it just as much, though the urge to spit it out and find water to fill his whole mouth with was quickly becoming a need at this point.

What the hell? How is Yui not spewing fire at this point?! She's basically impregnable to spicy food!

Gulping down the last of his portion, muttering shaky thanks to the Almighty, he pulled out his canteen and downed every last water down his throat, allowing it to wash away the painful burn on his tongue.

What felt like horror soon turned into simple bliss as the smoking fire was extinguished, now replaced with a comfortable, yet numbing sensation on his tongue. Who would've thought Kayaba implemented even this into the game?

"Hey Nier?" The boy put away his water canteen, wiping his lips with the sleeve of his shirt. "Why did you make this plan?"

"Because the problem we have at hand is too big to be ignored," he answered, explaining further. "I don't intend to trouble my guild. If we were to go all together, I'm afraid it may reveal all of our identities, and that may as well spoil our chance to keep progressing. We're still, though not necessarily, helping out to clear the upper floors."

That answer had massive holes in them, and as far as she knew, he wasn't one to lie. It was just that he intends to twist his words to mean something else, when there was a completely different reason so to why he did something.

So she thought. Thought about why he volunteered to break the «Laughing Coffin» all on his own. Why he ordered his guild to remain away from the battle, and to remain hidden until further notice. Why he was reluctant to bring anyone with him.

There were puzzle pieces scattered; his words that left his lips. And soon enough, as she connected them together, only then did they start to match with that fear of his.

"You're afraid of losing them," she concluded, sighing. He sweat-dropped at the reaction. Was he really an open book at this point? "I don't see what's the problem of bringing everyone along. We'd be able to take them all on together, and not risk getting defeated."

"But news travel quick, Yui. Think about it. If their spy catches word that we're out to hunt them, then we'd be dead quicker than even I can forge a lance," he muttered, logic behind his words both clear and hazy at the same time. How does that even work? "What I _really_ mean, is that they'd flee from the floor they were previously residing on before we'd even have the chance to capture, because they _know_ we'll be coming for them."

"Well… That does make sense," she hummed, unsure of what to say anymore. It made sense, and she could understand why he went so far, yet there was a desire to point out the flaws in his words. To just… not put him in harm's way.

The fire flickered, wood that supported it quickly turning into black ash. Smoke was not too plenty, so breathing would not be a worry.

The night itself was peaceful, silent even. There was nothing that would pose a threat to them, or, more accurately, Nier, since he was the one who did all the fighting. Yui, still unable to fight anyone, was asked to remain by the side, and she did so, albeit hesitantly.

Although, she could help him out with her task as a «Saboteur», but she never really told him how he did it.

Could she trust him with such a secret? She desperately wanted to, but the fear of being secluded from him, and possibly everyone else, had sewed her lips shut, keeping all the secrets inside.

She was an enigma, a person of whom her origins weren't clear. Yuna, Strea and Nautilus found her by chance, and took her in out of sympathy.

Who wouldn't? In fact, she doubted that she would just look away.

You come across a little girl, hurt and alone in a forest, unable to fend for herself. Unless you were a really heartless bastard, you would take her with you, watching over her until she is properly healed.

Thinking back now, she wondered what would have happened to her if she never met the songstress and her friends. She wouldn't be able to be part of «Blank», and she'd never be able to meet all these amazing people.

How lonely…

"Umm, Nier?" She looked up, a timid look present. "C-Can I tell—"

*Twak!*

"Get down!" Before everything could be translated into proper information for the young girl, Nier had basically tossed himself at her, pushing her to the ground as he remained atop of her, feeling the arrow bounce from his back, dropping to the cave ground.

An arrow. Not his arrow. _Someone else's_ arrow.

Someone was attacking them.

'No…' Biting back a snide, Nier rushed out with an arrow hitched on his bow, pulling it back before letting loose at a random direction.

As far as he knew, no one really used an arrow. But the scream that came after was certainly not dangerous.

"Eeeh!" It was one that belonged to a girl, high-pitched and so afraid that any attempt at retaliating was immediately pushed down, replaced with the need to crouch.

"Show yourself!" The boy shouted as he kept the arrow to his bow, aiming at where he could sense the figure. "Don't play games with me! I may like games, but I am not going to play hide-and-seek with you!"

He levelled his bow towards a tree, firing straight at its trunk and hearing a crunching sound coming somewhere nearby. Never did he let his weapon drop, kept at a stance where, should the person try close-combat, then he would be able to adapt quickly.

"O-Okay!" She finally forced out, scared. While he may indeed feel bad, it was necessary that he do this. "I-I'm coming out…"

Slowly, grass and flowers parted to the side as the girl stood, revealing a girl with long white hair, a slim stature and a simple rapier clipped to her waist, a bow in hands, wearing a simple tunic with greaves and elbow guards.

Relaxing slightly, the lad put away his bow, swapping it for an open hand now. Walking towards the girl, who visibly took a few steps away from him, he extended a hand, her screwing her eyes shut at the thought of him hurting her.

But then nothing come. She waited, waited, and nothing came. Letting one eye to open up, all she saw was his hand, not at all dangerous.

"I won't lie that I don't trust you after that stunt you pulled, but at least let me hear you out," his voice was stern, yet there was a subtle hint of gentleness behind his words.

Breathing slowing down, she took his hand, standing up.

"Come with me," he tilted his head towards the cave, pulling her slightly.

Nodding mutely, she allowed the boy to bring her into the cave, another person in there. Mouthing a simple 'Hi', she sat down, unable to contain the anxiety bubbling inside of her.

Realising that she was indeed nervous, which was certainly logical for almost anyone that's just almost been killed, he pierced a long stick through the last cut of meat he had on him, letting it sit above the fire.

Curious, the girl eyed every of his movements, noticing just how confident he seemed to be as he rotated the stick slowly to allow every inch of the meat to be treated by the flames. Half an hour, or half of that passed, and suddenly the stick of hot meat was in front of her vision.

"Eh?" She blinked.

"Eat," his tone wasn't necessarily a demand. It was more like a father telling his child to settle down for dinner. "I can tell that you haven't eaten before."

"N-No! I'm fine, really!" She shook her head.

*Grroaaan…*

Her words were betrayed by the loud moans that emanated from her stomach. Blushing, she averted her gaze to the ground, taking the stick from him. Whimpering a soft 'Thank you', she began digging in, savouring the food. She _really_ hadn't eaten for quite some time, it seemed.

After some time later, when the stick was picked clean of anything, and a stomach had been tamed, Nier began speaking once more.

"Who are you?" He asked, crossing his arms as he sat opposite of the two girls.

"L-Lux," she answered, not meeting his eyes as they talked. Still too afraid, apparently.

"What is your purpose here?" He moved onto the next questions, eyes leering so. "To kill us?"

"W-What..? No!" She denied such an accusation, looking hurt. "I-I thought there was a mob inside here, s-so I fired, because…"

"To scare them away, or to at least kill them. You were planning to make this a temporary residence, I presume?" His question was met with a nod. "I see…"

Mind taken off by a particular subject, his eyes drifted to said item, which took form of a makeshift bow that hung around her body, worn out from overuse. The arrows on the quiver on her back didn't look any better, as if they were slapped put together at the last minute.

Taking this into account, he looked at her once more, bringing the topic of her secondary weapon up.

"You wield a bow," he said, earning her attention. "Who taught you?"

"O-Oh. Well, no one, really…" Lux replied with a soft voice, though she was interested in the subject. She was just too shy to show it.

"Strange. While it isn't wrong to wield the bow, it isn't exactly common either. In fact, most players tend to stick to the close-quarters weapons. Why'd you start using it?" That part had him curious, with a look of nervousness being emitted from the girl.

"W-Well, it's uhh… Umm…" Fidgeting in her spot, she wondered as to what she was trying to say, until she screwed both eyes shut, no longer looking at the boy. "Y-Y-You did…"

"Hmm?" A multitude of possible responses had been sitting on his mind, all shattered as the answer came in the form of those two, simple words. "Me?"

"R-Right. You're Nier, leader of the «Blank». Most people t-tend to call you that as well," Lux was unsure whether or not she could speak her mind out, but decided to have a go at it anyways. "E-Everyone knows you. You fight with a sword and a b-bow, so I thought…"

"Really? I was expecting for you to choose it because it had a distant advantage in contrast to the other weapons," he hummed. Surely, that wasn't it, right?

"That, a-and you're a big inspiration to me, sir. And to most of the other low-levelled players as well. We all want to be as strong as you are," her smile was genuine, surprising him. "Everyone looks up to you, sir. And that's why I wanted to start wielding the bow as well."

"Cut the 'sir' part, please. I'd rather be referred to as Nier," he chuckled. "You don't need to be so tense around me."

"A-Alright, Nier," she nodded, finding it to be like a dream to be talking with her idol like this.

"Tell me. Is this handmade?" He gestured to her weapon.

"Huh? R-Right. Bows weren't being made back then, so I crafted this all on my own," she handed the arc of bow to the boy, watching as he inspect each edge of the weapon.

"Hmm… The string isn't strong anymore, and there are cracks in the wood. Nonetheless, it would be wise to refrain from using it as a melee weapon," his words were analytical, serious even, though she couldn't help from sweat-dropping at the last part. Not like she was going to hit anyone with the bow. That's not what they were made for, after all. "Still, with a bit of fixing here and there, it should be back to its original state."

"Right. Thank you," she nodded, taking her bow once more.

"Well, it's getting late. We'd better get some rest. Yui," he gestured to the ravenette, who smiled back at the silver-haired girl. "And I will be leaving soon to the lower floors. We intend to search for the «Laughing Coffin»."

"W-What?" That statement unnerved her, and she could feel the colour drain from her face. "Y-You're kidding..?"

"I'm not. They're currently targeting one of our allies, whom is under the care of my guild. I intend to at least disrupt their system so to draw their attention to rebuilding themselves so to lose focus on her," he explained.

There was a feeling in her gut that he would succeed, despite the odds stacked against him. And the desire to help him only grew as such.

But this was a dangerous cause, and there was no certainty that they'd be walking out alive.

And yet, looking at the two guild members, friends, conversing with each other as if there was nothing wrong so far, had her wondering just how confident they really were.

She could only imagine just how hard his guild members tried to persuade him from doing this.

The fire in the cave right now could be a symbol of his determination, ever burning despite how dark it was. It sounded fitting, a perfect description of this strange boy with black and white hair. And his little friend there, well… Maybe she and the rest of the guild were the wood that fuelled the fire? That they were the people who continued to support him through thick and thin?

She didn't dare think of herself as a skilled poet, but she'd like to think that it was beautiful.

Nonetheless, she supposed herself indebted to the boy, considering that she almost killed him and Yui, even if not by purpose. And as such, she settled on following the two.

"Umm… If you don't mind?" Both heads turned to her, possessing looks of curiosity. "Can I come with you?"

"No. Out of the question," he answered almost instantly, looking stern. "This is an extremely dangerous procedure. If possible, I'd rather avoid dragging others into our problem."

"N-No, it's fine! I really want this!" She wanted to come. To think positively, it would be her chance to learn from the boy whom she idolises so much. "Please..? Just this once!"

He was already contemplating on the idea, finding himself too hesitant in taking her with them.

Then again, she doesn't seem to have anyone else with her, so leaving her alone would spell trouble for her. Lord knows what sort of people she may meet, and he could only imagine how many of them were friendlies.

And how many of them weren't.

"Hhaa… Fine. You can come," he rolled his eyes at the overjoyed look she now had, but couldn't hold back the smile when Yui rushed over to the girl's side, hugging her strongly. "But! You must at least promise me to not die, alright?"

"O-Of course! I'll be in your care!" She nodded, pale skin tinted with red.

"Alright then. As of right now, you're one of us, so look out for each other," the girls nodded at his words, eyebrows raised once he yawned. "Hwaauh… Excuse me… Sorry girls, but I'm tired. I'm hitting the hay early, if you don't mind."

And the group of three were asleep not even an hour later, all tuckered in for the night.

* * *

The Next Day

Nier had gotten up early, making sure that nothing came into their cave. Activating «Libra», he had wasted no second, constantly making sure that nothing came close to where they were. The girls were still asleep, and anything could attack them at their state—there was no way he was going to let anyone or anything harm them as such.

Not that he'd let even a hair be plucked from them.

He wanted to go get some food, but that meant that he'd have to leave the area. And there was no way he was going to do that, so he decided to hack some food into his inventory.

'A sword, and a bow… Should I try other things as well?' He thought, wondering if just these two weapons were going to be fine.

A distinct feature he noticed about the game, was that the game strictly limited the players to one-handed weapons, except bows, spears and katanas, since those required both hands.

It was something that puzzled him, despite it being just a simple feature so to possibly keep the whole game at a level field of fairness. Think about it; wouldn't it be crazy if someone could battle others using two swords, or two separate weapons in hands?

It sounded strange at first, but then realised that the reaction level of the players in this game are a perfect parallel to human's natural reactivity. As such, were one able to react faster to certain stimuli than others, then that meant that they'd be able to…

Wait a minute, he's read something about this.

Argo had been kind enough to share him a couple of secret info that she managed to pry from the servers before they had dived into the game—scratch the 'kind enough' part, she'd do anything from him—and one particular topic stuck out to him.

«Dual-Wielding», which was supposed to be a «Unique Skill», was bestowed to players who could surpass the gaming's reaction system, of which they were able to adapt to situations much faster than any other players and act at a speed faster than most.

To put it into simpler terms, per se, players were only allowed a specific time to react to certain things. Like, being hit. However, players who could surpass this system would be able to evade at a better rate than normal players.

This was certainly something that interested him, yet, as far as he knew, there had been no news of any players with this «Unique Skill». It worried him to no end as to whether it would have fallen into the wrong hands, but since Argo's gotten no news about it, it must mean that it hadn't been implemented into the game at all.

'Huh. If anyone's gonna' dual-wield, it should be Asuna,' he thought, knowing just how fast that girl is.

Oh well. It's not in the game, nothing that he could do about it. As far as he knew, he was unable to dual-wield, despite trying multiple times before this. He decided to leave it there afterwards, getting breakfast ready for both him and the girls.

The fire died last night, but a simple flicks from stones and a flint he found laying around in the cave soon had it singing crackles once more.

Last night, they had roast meat just like that. This time, however, he'd rather they'd get something a bit more enjoyable, so he thought.

What could he make? Sandwiches? Maybe, but he didn't have bread on him. Rice dish, out of the question—he didn't have rice to begin with. Stew? Hmm, maybe, but he'd need a lot of ingredients, and he wouldn't want to break the game more than he already has—though he was a hacker, he still wanted to experience the challenges of the game, and wanted to be fair as much as he could.

So he sat back, thinking what he could do. At this rate, the fire would be dead long before he'd get anything started.

Finally, he decided to entrust the girls with the cave for just a moment, rushing out as quickly as he could and trying to find any ingredients that he could get his hands on.

He returned, carrying plants and other things between arms and pits, in hands and even on his head, all balanced out and brought to their temporary residence.

Nier had got the cooking process down quickly, and soon enough, the girls were stirred awake by the scent of stew in the air, which had them staring at the fire in the centre, with a large pot on it.

And who else tending to it than their friend?

"Good morning," he greeted with a smile, stirring the contents of the pot. "Breakfast. I hope you don't mind «Ragout Rabbit»."

"«Ragout Rabbit»? Isn't that the really rare rabbit creature?" Yui asked, as innocent as ever. The older boy nodded back. "Ehh? But it's so cute!"

"And it's delicious," he remarked. It was hard to get a hit on, but he was lucky enough that his precision with the bow was better than anything else. "Don't worry about things and whatnot. Just enjoy the taste of it."

The girls weren't sure what to really say, so they waited for their meals to come to them. Soon enough, bowls of warm food were on their laps, and needless to say, this morning was one that they would never forget.

Even Nier looked happy enough, mostly because of the stew if not anything.

* * *

Characters' Age:

Lux: 12


	11. Chapter 10

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 10: Game's Just Started'`

 _A green player, yellow and red. What do they signify?_

 _In a conventional meaning, it is to indicate the safeness of a character. To determine who among them could be trusted, who was slightly dangerous, and those that are to be apprehended._

 _The game world, as the «Blank» knows it, is indeed filled with all sorts of people. And he promised himself he would free them all, no matter what._

 _That's why the game's only beginning._

* * *

A Week Later—Floor 47: Floria

Nier was grateful that he had good friends, all of whom he believed he didn't deserve. Still, he had them, so he'd have to repay them any time they did something nice for him.

Such was the example as of currently.

Nier, Yui and Lux had basically no idea as to where Poh and his guild, the «Laughing Coffin», were at, so they were basically on a wild goose chase. That didn't last long, however, as Nier received a text message from Argo, his spy, information broker and friend.

And man, what she said was priceless!

Apparently, the red guild had put up base at a safe zone in a cave, somewhere in a dungeon on one of the lower floors. While it was certainly vague, it still meant something.

Anything was better than nothing.

Then Nier began thinking, where could the guild be hiding? No doubt, there would be quite the number of people. As far as he knew, there was PoH and two other guys, but obviously there were a lot more. It's just that he could only remember those three names.

But the more important question here was _what_ he should do with them.

Nier and his family lived by the principle that each and every life was precious. Christians, but for some strange reasons, they only devoted their prayers to Lord, and not the man of whom the religious was aimed towards. Even so, the family swore never to harm another single life for as long as they lived.

Unless the situation really called for it, then they must never harm anyone or anything else. For food, however, they supposed that could be excused, as it was a necessity.

His father had tried going vegan for a month, and stopped on the third day. Said that he couldn't hold back from staring at his friend who was eating a hotdog.

In any case, Nier wanted to solve this problem without needing to actually kill the red players. While, yes, they have ultimately sinned themselves for taking the lives of other innocent players without even a second thought, he wanted to believe that he wasn't one of them.

If he dared cut them down just because they've slew others, then he would be no better than them.

Ultimately, he decided that the best course of action was just to subdue them, put them in the «Black Iron Palace» on the first floor, which was infamous for housing every prisoners of the game. It served as a reminder that any players who dare overstep their bounds would face a tragic end.

Then again, execution was not the true punishment if one stepped foot into the prison, but captured forever was more than enough to grow disgusted looks amongst the masses. Mankind hate being looked down upon, and hated being encased.

Ironic. They did it too everything else around them; pets and whatnot.

Nonetheless, this was not the time to think of such things. Right now, he and his friends need to find the «Laughing Coffin's» whereabouts. Anything else besides that was extra.

'The most obvious explanation there is, is that their base would have to be on a floor with caves around. And if that's a clue, I can only think of floor eight, floor five, and floor three,' the boy mentally jotted down notes into his head, thinking hard.

Again, it has to be extremely well-hidden so to not attract any attention from the other players, and not to get into trouble.

The boy sighed, scratching his head. For a bunch of murderers, they were pretty smart with just their location alone.

"Hey girls," he called, knowing that it would be useless to just search all round the place without any leads. "Wanna' take a look around the place? Find some flowers or the like?"

"S-Sure," Lux nodded shyly, blushing. He tilted his head in confusion, wondering why she was acting this way.

The people in the real worlds that watched him all couldn't help but either sigh or chuckle in amusement. Floria isn't called the 'Town of Couples' for nothing, if the presence of lovers everywhere around him meant anything.

And yet, he remained oblivious to all these clear-as-water facts. Daft truly does not do him justice.

"Ooh, ooh! I heard there's this flower that can revive dragons!" Yui spoke with excitement, earning a hum from the sole male of the group.

"Ah, yes, I've heard of that as well. Unfortunately, it only blooms in the presence of a «Beast Tamer»," he explained. The ravenette pouted in response. "If you'd like, we can get Silica to come here with us next time. We'd be able to see what kind of flower it is."

"Ooh, yes! Let's do that next time!" The girl's vigour returned into her once more, happily smiling widely.

Returning the gesture with his own grin, the boy looked around him. Not much to do but go sightseeing. And truth be told, this would be his eighth time seeing such sights—he's come here quite often, either to look for materials or just passing by for no reason entirely.

Flowers. Not really his specialty, unless it came to cooking. Chrysanthemum tea, now that is delicious.

But, obviously, there are no chrysanthemums here. Mostly flowers here were those that were suitable to used for furnishing or making a bouquet to be given to a lover.

Perfect place to hold a Valentines' Day event. No doubt couples would be screaming in excitement.

*Ting!*

"Hmm?" A message appeared before him. He moved his hand to open it, receiving yet another message from the same anonymous person.

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _Follow the fairies. They will take you to where you wish to go._

 _To: «Blank»'_

Whoever was sending this message must be quite bold to use his title. Then again, he didn't really mind. It wasn't like he copyrighted the thing to be his from the very beginning.

But this was certainly worrisome. Should he truly put his faith on this anonymous person? He supposed he could, since whoever it was is obviously helping him. «Birth From Bytes» was the exact proof of this.

Still, the most number of times he's actually used that «Sword Skill» is… once. During the battle with «Mechonis».

"Hopefully I don't have to use that again… So exhausting…" He sighed deeply, his companions perking up in curiosity.

Seriously though, his butt, legs and body, and basically everything else felt sore. He'd rather if he doesn't need to go through that all again.

But putting all those thoughts aside, the message pointed out something of interest. Fairies? He knows that, somewhere on floor three all the way to the tenth one, there were elves. But fairies?

Sure, they could be the same thing, but what was the most obvious difference between these two races was that fairies had wings and could fly around. Elves were like fairies, but without the wings. And had really long ears, those he supposed both races may have that aforementioned trait. Hmm...

*Szsz…*

The sound of magic dust, like those from magic-related TV shows, could be heard in the background. Having improved his 'Hearing' skill, he was able to pinpoint it somewhere north of here.

And right there, two peculiar orbs, one being black as the darkest night, and the other a beautiful white that reflected the beauty of light, were flying close to each other around the area.

He blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Those things were still there.

'Well, not like I know what else there is to do…' He thought, calling for his friends, who were busy looking at some pretty flower or two. They half-jogged to him.

"Yes, Nier?" The girls asked in unison.

"I've an idea. And whether you want to believe what you're going to see is solely up to you," he spoke, before making his way towards the two floating orbs. The girls looked at them for a moment, before sharing equal looks of surprise, jaws dropping. 'Can't blame them.'

The two girls, quickly pulling themselves out of their previous stupor, got to Nier's side quickly, eyeing the orbs curiously. There were little wings on the back of those things if one looked hard enough.

"Umm… Hi?" Yui was unsure what to say, but judging by how closely the older two were looking at those creatures meant that they weren't talking any time soon.

 **"Oh, you can see us! Nice!"** The white fairy spoke with joy, before letting out an exaggerated sigh. **"Seriously though, we've been waiting for you to notice us! But all you do was just look at us as if we were mad! I mean, come on!"**

 **"Tatl, please,"** the black fairy sighed, shaking its head before turning to the three humans. **"Please forgive my sister. She may come off as a bit rude, but she's really nice."**

"It's fine," Nier shook his head, deciding that the best way to go about this is to act in a normal manner as he would with anyone else. Even if he was literally talking to two talking orbs. "In any case, I suppose introductions are in order. I am—"

 **"Nier, leader of the «Blank»,"** the black fairy spoke once more, chuckling. **"It's impossible for the players to not have heard of you. Your reputation precedes you far than even you can think possible."**

"Well, that cuts the introductions short then," he sighed. Was there anything else about him that he missed? Probably a lot. "In any case, what of the two of you?"

 **"I am Tael. And this loud one here is my sister, Tatl,"** Tael spoke, earning a smack to his head from his sister. **"Ow!"**

 **"Who're you calling loud?!"** She basically screamed, eliciting sweat-drops from the three humans. **"Hhaa… Whatever. In any case, we were sent here to help you out, so you'd better follow us carefully. Don't blame us if you ever get into trouble. That's all on you."**

"Sure. We're going to be careful even if you didn't warn us," the monochromatic-haired boy nodded. "Well, lead the way."

* * *

Floor 1: Town of Beginnings

Carpe diem. A phrase to say that one is cajoling another into thinking of just the present, and to ignore the future.

A random thing to say, I know. And no, it had absolutely nothing to do with what's about to come next, so... Random?

In any case, the three players had been told to go to the very first floor, which was quite strange. Thought it was the largest floor there was, there was no way that there was some secret place that they had been unaware of, right?

Apparently not.

For the first place they were taken to was the town's orphanage, which actually the town's church, of which countless of restless children were busy eating soup from wooden bowls and chattering away with each other. There were bits of food on the floor, tables and chairs, and even—

"Oh," his face scrunched up slightly at the pool of thrown-up contents on the floor, mixed in with whites and greens. He looked away quickly, not wanting to look at it anymore.

"Sorry about this. The children can be quite rowdy now and then," the brown-haired woman chuckled. Sasha, as she introduced herself, invited them to a table. The three players joined her, and soon enough, a few kids came up to them with bowls of hot soup and dry bread.

"Here you go, Nier-nii!" One of the boys exclaimed with a wide grin on his face.

"H-Hi…" Another little girl, a head shorter than the boy, offered the older players a plate of butter.

"Hihi! Looks like you have your little fans too!" Yui giggled, the «Blank» sighing.

"Thanks," his smile came back as he took the bowls and plates from the children, before placing them on the table, waving at the children who returned the gesture, laughing as they went back to their own tables. He leaned in towards Sasha, eyes slightly narrowing. "They still remember me? Actually, they know me?"

"Who doesn't know you?" The brunette answered swiftly, earning a second sigh from the boy. "Everybody knows you. It's impossible not to."

"Right…" This was getting out of hand. He didn't even meet these children face-to-face, and they already know him.

But then something of interest struck him. He knew the answer, but wanted the conformation.

"These children are players too, aren't they?" His question formed a sombre frown on the woman's face, before she nodded sadly. "Oh yeah, you told me the first time I came here."

"They logged into the game just like everyone else. But they're just children, so I took them here," she explained. "I couldn't just leave them to fend for themselves."

"It's fine. You did what was right," he nodded in understanding, his own frown coming to him.

If… If they ever stepped foot onto the battlefield, it was likely that they'd be the first ones to expire. That thought scared him. He had entered his fifteenth this year, though his birthday would be a month from now.

He'd like to think himself to be a child at times, which meant that he could figure out the way they thought. And he could tell that they were scared beyond belief. God knows what had been on their minds at the time.

Their families, no doubt. The wish to just go back home and return to their otherwise normal lives would have been a miracle all on its own had it actually occurred. It didn't matter if like was boring at the time, or that they were subjected to simplicity with no excitement. All they wanted was to go back home.

So he was grateful that such a person such as Sasha, who still had the compassion to look out for others, especially the little ones, still exists. People like her—and no doubt everyone else would say him—were thinning these days.

"So, is there anything you'd like to ask me?" The brown-haired woman asked with a smile. The boy nodded, remembering a question that Tatl and Tael had instructed him to ask her.

"Do you, by chance, know any high-leveled dungeons on this floor?" He asked.

"Hmm? Oh, do you mean the one beneath the «Black Iron Palace»?" She sounded nonchalant, but the surprised look meant that he didn't know.

"There is one here? How come I've never heard of it?" He blinked. If there was such a place, Argo would've told him.

"It was just newly discovered. Your aide, Argo the Rat, had missed this because she had, by then, joined your guild," she explained, earning a 'Huh' from the boy, who sat back into his chair. "In any case, if you wish to go there, I would highly suggest against it. The monsters there are extremely powerful."

"Really? Like, by a scale of levels, how much is it?" If one thing for sure, «Laughing Coffin» would be smart to use this place as their base.

"They say that monsters from floor sixty spawn there," she shuddered at the thought of going down there. She wasn't a fighter. She was just a caretaker to a number of innocent children. Children who can be pretty cheeky at times, but still children nonetheless.

"Really? Well, that certainly sounds troublesome…" He sighed. The clearing guilds haven't even reached that far yet. "Well, it shouldn't be too bad."

"What? But it's dangerous! You know as well as I do that going down there means death!" She shouted back, worried.

"You're right. But there's something that we must do, so we have to go, so sorry," he crossed his arms. The woman sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to change his mind. That's just how he was. "In any case, can you tell us the way to the «Black Iron Palace»? We've never really gone there, so none of us know where it is."

 **"It's fine… We know where it is…"** Tael whispered into the boy's ears, keeping his voice low so that no one else could hear him.

"Actually!" The woman was cut off before she could say anything by the boy, who suddenly stood up. "I think I remember where it is."

"But you just said that you don't know where it is," she blinked, tilting her head in confusion.

"I… lied?" He shrugged with uncertainty on his face. "Sorry..? In any case, thank you for your hospitality," he delivered a bow, making his way to the exit.

The girls stood up, giving their own curtseys to the woman before joining the boy outside of the church, sounds of conversation able to be heard from even inside here.

Why? Because the children had quieted down now, sharing looks of disappointment.

"Nier onii-chan's gone…" A boy with frizzly hair frowned, his friends all looking sad as well.

"It's fine. He's going out to help all of us," Sasha reassured them all, possessing a look of certainty. "Until then, we'll just have to wait."

That's all he would have wanted from everyone else, right? to be safe from harm's way as he tossed himself into the flames of danger, defeating whatever came at him to free the people from this prison-like world.

Such a thing was both admirable, and something that worried people to no end. When is he going to start noticing this little fact?

But right now, all she could do was wait, just as she herself said. Besides—

*Blergh!*

"Charlie!" These children were children, after all. And if she wasn't going to raise them, who else will?

* * *

Floor 1: Black Iron Palace Labyrinth

It was something that was regarded to be quite strange by the twin fairies, both of whom couldn't help but feel sad when they entered the labyrinth.

Nier had brought it up, asking them why they were behaving this way. His answer was that it brought up shattered memories, all of which they couldn't remember. And yet, the only piece that remained true was the fuzzy image of a boy older than Nier, with a stupid grin and a self-loathing heart.

That was such a strange picture. But they felt that he had existed before, and couldn't let it go.

Nier wondered as to who or what this person was. Though these beings were possibly NPC, or better yet, a complex A.I. designed by whoever hacked this game was, they seem to be far more like living things than just a string of code.

And if all of this was implemented into them by hand, then props to the hacker. All the effort into creating such a bizarre backstory.

The corridors were wide, the background being dark cobble that brought a sense of cold gloom over those that stepped foot inside of here. The floor itself was extremely dusty, to the point where it could have reached his nose, were it not have drifted off into the openness below them.

Columns of pillars surrounded them, strong and firm. There were strange languages etched into the surface, with Nier only able to make out 'He's gone' among the words.

Strange. Who is this _he_? He had looked at each pillar, and each of them said the exact same thing amongst everything else.

After some time going down this long stretch of corridor, they arrived at a flight of stairs that travelled down and into the earth, the musky scent of old stone wafting in the air. Maybe this could lead them to where the «Laughing Coffin» were at?

Well, probably.

*Shing!*

"Hragh!" Nier allowed himself to break the «Scavenge Toads» before him apart, rendering them into pixels with little to no effort. A good swing of «Binary» or two was more than enough to kill them.

He crouched, thrusting the sharp end of the blade into one of them, before kicking it away, sweeping the field with powerful arcs. One swing, another strike, parry when they jump at him, parry again when they spit at him. Rinse and repeat.

And in a matter of minutes, a whole mob of them was cleared out, leaving the hall empty once more.

"Wow. You're so strong, Nier-sama…" Lux had light dancing her eyes, staring at him in admiration and amazement.

"It's not too hard. The most basic thing there is, is to memorize their attack patterns. Once you've got that done, figuring out the best tactic to defeat them is almost second nature," he shrugged, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, before returning his sword to the sheath on his left hip once more. "And Lux? As I've said, no honourifics."

"R-Right. Sorry about that, N-Nier…" She blushed out of embarrassment, finding it much more harder to just call him by his name. Sure, it was his in-game name, but it still felt embarrassing nonetheless.

Not to mention that such a person was both her idol and—the people in the real world could tell at this point—crush.

"Ne, ne, Nier! Do you think it's possible to eat frogs?" Yui suddenly asked, earning a shocked look from the other girl.

And Lux dreadfully hoped that the boy had the exact same look as she had, for who in their right minds would ever think of eating a—

Wait, why is he having that 'I wonder…' look?!

"Well, it's not normal to eat the entire thing, but it is common to make use of the legs of edible frogs," he began as he rubbed his chin, not noticing the way the silverette's jaw dropped. "Widely popular in French and Chinese cuisine. I've never exactly tasted such a thing, but people say it's taste ranges from chicken to fish."

"Really? Wow, it sounds tasty!" The little girl was lucky to not have bore witness to her female friend's absolutely gobsmacked look. Even the people in the real world couldn't help but drop a cup of two when she said that—for those that held cups in the first place, of course.

"Not sure. But if it is good, then maybe I could get Asuna to cook it for me," he hummed in thought, as if he were actually contemplating between taking the chance or not.

"How many frog legs have you acquired then?" The little girl asked once more.

"Oh, far too plenty. That number of frogs that I've slew? Since they've got a pair of them legs, and I've probably killed more than, what? Twenty? Well, you can do the math," he shrugged, resuming on his walk, with Yui happily following after him.

And Lux was left to ponder what exactly in the world truly disgusts him.

* * *

Another mob or two, and he had to throw away some of the frog meat he gained. There were so much that it filled his inventory almost instantly.

Actually, he had tried asking Lux to carry some for him, but she absolutely denied, stating that she didn't want to hold onto it due to how disgusting it was. At least Yui helped him carry one leg.

Which he took back before throwing off to one direction to keep the «Blood Wolves'» attention off of them, before he and Lux caught them off-guard and made quick work of them.

After some time, they came upon another set of stairs, which lead down even further. At the very least, they brought with them 'Teleport Crystals', so they could just use that whenever the situation grew worse.

Going down, the lack of light was starting to hinder their progress, which resulted in them being ambushed by a couple of monsters. Even so, with «Libra» installed, Nier would have no trouble fending off the monsters.

Fighting the monsters was beginning to grow tedious, as they were stuck in this confusing labyrinth that had multiple turns. Add to the fact that the map literally showed nothing, except their cursors.

Note to self: Next time, bring a quill and a paper to make your own map. Nier will remember that.

So, what's there to summarise? Point one, extremely dark labyrinth. Point two, too many turns. Point three, map shows nothing. What does all of them sum up to?

Pointless ambushes from more «Scavenge Toads», «Dire Wolves», and «Demonic Servants». Seriously, how much more are they?

Endless. Because the system's going to keep spawning more, since this is a game.

Insert: Sigh.

This continued on far more than necessary, until they reached a wide open space pass a set of doors, with pillars decorating each wall. It was so wide, in fact, that if he shouted here and now, it would have caused echoes.

Knowing this, he did it anyways.

"Hello!" He shouted, listening intently as his voice rung multiple of times. He smiled, taking satisfaction from it.

He may be fifteen, but as he said before, he likes to think that he's still a child.

"Nier, was it safe to do that?" Lux asked. And though it sounded like she was afraid of something bad to happen, she looked to be somewhat amused from what she saw.

"I think it's fine. I mean, even if there was another monster that was going to come," he silently prayed that it wouldn't be the case. "Then we'll just take care of it like we did always. That's not hard, after all."

"Well, sure, but you yourself have complained that it's a bit too much. Wouldn't that just be annoying or anything?" The girl asked once more, this time a bit confused.

"Well, yeah, but can you complain when they give you loot and experience points?" This time, it was her turn to nod in agreement, even if it was a bit silly. "Well, let's just get some rest. Sit and down and take a break. We've been going at it far too... much..?"

*Tk… tk… tk…*

Having upgraded his 'Hearing' skill, he felt his whole body springing into attention, readying himself in case of anything. He had thought of this room to just be a room, but now that he had achieved what he was here for, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Things were way out of control, nowadays.

 ***LOZ, Breath of the Wild: Guardian (Play Song)***

The sounds of footsteps grew louder, until the presences of many could be seen on the radar, felt by the three players as well.

"You must be Nier, the leader of «Blank»," the voice of a man spoke, as he revealed himself from the shadows, with countless men behind him.

The group of three looked at him, making him out to be a cloaked figure with a strong build and a dangerous aura. His armour was well-hidden, but the boy could tell that it was extremely strong. Even the sword had a menacing feel to it.

The sword. The exact same weapon the man used to put other players down for good.

That thought brought a frown to the young boy's face, right hand beginning to shake. Damn it, not now. He didn't want to look afraid in front of these people right now.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, of being graced by the presence of the «Blank» himself?" PoH, acronym for 'Prince of Hell', spoke with unrestrained smug. "Tell me, have I done something to have gained your attention?"

Well, here goes nothing.

Taking in a deep breath, left arm catching his right and squeezing it tightly, his friends looking at him with slight worry, he spoke out loud.

"Your guild has placed a hunt on one of my friends. Her name is Rosalia. Beautiful woman with red hair. You must know her, perhaps?" He wanted to describe her by some other way, but as far as he could think, that was the best thing he could say for now.

"Ahh, I know her, boss! She's the one that ran away from us!" One of the members hisses, sounding extremely pissed off. "She was supposed to be our spy, but she hightailed out of here and left! That wench!"

'Rosalia said the exact same thing as well,' he mentally nodded, knowing now for certain that she wasn't lying. Not like she did it without a reason. He returned to reality. "Look, I'm not sure what she did to anger you, but I'd like to ask you so to leave her alone. Please."

"Hmm? And why should we do that?" One of the members stepped forth, wearing a skull mask that parted slightly to show his mouth, which was currently twisted in a scowl.

"Because…" Damn it. Biting the inside of his cheek, Nier truly didn't know what to say this time. Sure, he could use the 'Or else you'll regret it' threat, but threats like that meant nothing to men who killed others for sport.

"XaXa," PoH held his guild mate back, shaking his head. The latter huffed, but ultimately stopped from saying anything else. "Tell me. What are you willing to part with in exchange for her life?"

"Anything besides anyone else's lives," he answered quickly.

That was just it. Most deals would bet two people's lives, and it was those sort of things that scared him the most. There was no way he was going to let one of his friends, or anyone for all it matters, lose their life in this because of him.

He had to choose his words properly.

"Hmm… Well, a person's life isn't exactly all that cheap, you know, so what you will be giving us must be enough to compensate for her own worth," he explained slowly, making sure that the boy got all that.

"A-Ahh…" Now came the problem.

Obviously, he could just throw in all the Cor he had on hand. But he didn't want that. That was both unfair to everyone, and Rosalia.

His parents taught him well. He wasn't going to turn his back on the teachings he had grown up with his whole life now.

"N-No," he shook his head. "I can't do that. She's not just some thing."

"Oi, boy! PoH's being kind enough to let her off, so you may as well pay your end of the bargain!" The aforementioned XaXa spat, hand slowly making its way to the sword on his hip.

"I just can't. She's not a sack of Cor, or some rare ingot. She's a _person_. And every has a worth that far outshines everything else," he gulped, staring straight into PoH's covered eyes. "I know you won't believe me for such a thing, but that's what I want to stand by."

There were murmurs amongst the members of «Laughing Coffin», all of which were mostly about how stupid the boy was.

And they were right. As much as he hated to admit it, they were probably right. In this game, all that really mattered was their survival, and nothing more. As Kayaba said, one wrong move in this game, and your death would be signed. They just needed to look out for their own skin, and nothing else. Every tactic, no matter how dirty, is just how it would be.

But Nier had grown up strictly on the principle that every life was meaningful. That, in this corrupted world constructed out of hate, sorrow and fear, each life was the light that repelled such corruption. And growing up with such a belief had made him a person who wanted to save everyone.

He knew it was selfish. He knew it was impossible. But it was something _he_ _wanted_.

"Please… I can't offer you anything, but Rosalia…" His friends wanted to calm him down, but they were afraid of something, maybe. "I don't want to treat her as some object, so I can't, and _won't_ trade for her life."

There was silence right after, no words traded. Both parties stood, breath hitched in throats, silently waiting for the other to make a move.

Nothing happened. The pillars did not rumble and fall, the floor did not crack, nor did the room cave in on the players, both greens and reds. Everything remained silent, deadly so.

Nier felt so stupid right now. And, strangely enough, rather awkward. Did he seriously say all that about a woman he barely knew? Then again, he was probably going to say that about everyone else too.

And then, PoH opened his mouth.

"If you won't trade for her life, then show me just how much you're willing to defend her," he said.

 ***LOZ, Breath of the Wild: Guardian (End Song)***

*Sshing…*

The sound of sword slowly dragged out of a sheath rung throughout the room, as all eyes followed the blade. Slick steel possessing no curve, held in his right hand. Giving it a swing to his right, he aimed it at the boy, smiling.

"Come on. You said that your woman friend's life worths more than anything. If so, then fight me," his challenge turned into a formal duel request, sent to the boy, who blinked at the message before him.

He's… challenging him to a fair fight? Can't be. As far as he knew, every member of «Laughing Coffin» were taught on how to make poison, so to add to their advantage. Dirty fighting was indeed their go-to tactic, and everything else was just random, which made them all the more dirty.

So for PoH, leader of such a guild, the very person who spread such a belief that men who died in this world was not confirmed to be dead in the real one, despite Kayaba specifically pointing it out, the very man who had killed countless of players through dirty play…

Was challenging him to a duel request?

'This world, has officially lost all sense of balance,' the boy monotoned in his head, but accepted it nonetheless, keeping the timer to a mere one hundred and twenty seconds, and for each player to reduce the other's health below half.

Nier was satisfied with the rules he set, deciding that everything else was unnecessary.

Pulling out «Binary», the very same blade that had been gifted to him by the hacker who used his title, the one that defended both him and everyone else, he positioned himself in a ready stance.

PoH was willing to toss aside every of his previous tactics to play fair in this one. As such, he was going to do the same thing as well.

Both swordsmen awaited the moment the counter would drop to zero, with both their members—PoH with his bloodthirsty men, hands constantly tainted by players' pixelated blood, and Nier, with his loyal friends, who would fight with him through thick and thin—silently rooting for them.

"Okay…" Three more.

"Get ready..." PoH smirked, two seconds left.

"Let's do this," One last second.

*Ting!*

 ***Under Night In-Birth—Monochrome Memory (Play Song)***

"Asciente…" The boy muttered at the last second.

Both players let out inaudible screams of battle as they lunged at each other, blades itching to get the first strike.

Nier backhanded the slash that came after him, but was forced back as the man regained himself to deal a counter-attack.

Clicking his tongue in chagrin, the boy jumped forwards, cleaving the air with his black-white sword. Quickly, he activated «Horizontal», enabling kinetic energy to overtake his body and send him quickly to the side, avoiding a dangerous blow from the Prince of Hell's sword.

Smirking, the man tried once more to get a hit on the boy, who deftly avoided each strike of his. With one intimidating shout, the man ran forwards, activating «Horizontal Arc». The boy parried each blow with perfect accuracy, almost getting hit by a surprise attack but he managed to jump back at the last minute.

Both players held an amount of experience that couldn't be paralleled, yet lacking something that the other may possess. Still, the players dived into battle once more.

'I can't let him hit me… Do so, and I'll lose if I can't hit him back,' the black and white-haired boy thought. Bringing up his sword, he parried a sword hit, allowing it to pass cleanly through the edge of his sword.

"You're not bad for a kid. Tell me, how old are you?" The man asked mid-battle, cleaving the earth in his effort to land a blow on Nier.

"I am fifteen this year, though my birthday will be coming next month," he answered truthfully, pivoting past the man's attack and, holding his sword in a fashion similar to a dagger-wielder, tried once more to land a strike.

Failed.

Nier left openings, hoping that he could fool the man so to give himself the chance to land a solid blow on him. And yet, each and every attempt was seen through, leaving him no chance to actually get a hit. As expected of PoH.

The sight of metal clashing painfully against one another was both overviewed by the audience in the real world, and the players that kept close to the walls of the room. No one could remain seated, watching with full anticipation as to who would emerge the victor.

And Shiro, watching from the room of which her brother laid unconscious in as his cognitive avatar, formed entirely out of data and the beating heart that which resided in the vessel's body, duelled the man who lead an army of murderers, held steadfast onto his hand, as if it was the only thing that kept him living.

She wants him to live. So live, damn the gods!

*Ching!*

"Try to take this on!" Exclaimed the red player, as he suddenly swung his foot towards Nier, who dodged it at the last moment. It was a feint, however, as his real attack took the form of an uncharged «Slant», aimed at the boy.

Nier, feeling the adrenaline, did a combat roll, avoiding the attack, before he swung his sword quickly upwards, hitting PoH's, parrying it successfully.

'Alright! Time to do this!' That familiar strength of which he felt once returned to him once more, ready to be released.

*Khh…* *Ksssh!*

"Let's go! «Birth From Bytes»!" He shouted, and his physical limitations were cut down, replaced now with a beast fit for the throne of power.

His body moved forwards without restraint, as his sword continued swiping away at the man before him, his previous effort at catching him off-guard working wonders now.

Now, he was under the mercy of a beast, feeling the sword slice at him from every edge and corner, cutting down his health without so much mercy.

The boy released every amount of energy he had into a form of sword swings, striking the man down each time he tried to get up. He kicked him into the air, lunging himself into the air and slamming him back into the ground.

PoH stood back up once more, clenching the hilt of his sword tightly as he moved forwards, trying to get a hit on the boy, with every attempt broken by the boy's stronger attacks, which continued to cut his health bar down.

Green turned yellow, which meant that he was losing—even then, the moment Nier had activated «Birth From Bytes», his fate was already sealed.

The skill coming quickly to its final climax, Nier slammed his boot into the man's gut, sending him flying back towards his guild members.

*Chss…*

"Hrgk..!" The boy grunted softly as he felt the energy quickly drain out of him, replaced with a familiar and painful exhaustion that bit every part of him.

The sword dropped out of his grasp for a moment, but he weld it in time to parry the quick «Sword Skill» from the man, who had recovered from the attack far quicker than supposed to.

And that wicked grin on his face could have sent the boy's nerves running.

But he held strong, wanting to win so badly.

He forced his limb to move, cutting the enemy's sword away before it struck him. Still, his health remained at full, but he knew that wouldn't stay for too long.

"Hragh!" Temporarily shaken by that powerful battle cry, the boy was unable to defend himself from the incoming onslaught from the enemy this time, but he continued to parry as much as he can.

He's done the damage. Now, all he has to do is hold him off until the timer strikes null.

'I won't kill him…' He decided, timing each of his swings to repel the man's, enough that it made sure that none of them landed a hit on him.

Each strike was strengthened by the sheer excitement behind this battle. Of the duel between a weakened swordsman due to the powerful skill he had unleashed, and a madman of whom has regularly put lives into the earth.

Nier grunted as each strength sapped even more of his already low energy, pushing him to the side and back. He knew PoH wasn't going to go easy on him, so with whatever strength he had left, he raised his blade to parry and block, utilising a defensive stance at this point. He had to be on the defensive this time, willing his sword arm to raise the blade and counter each attack.

*Clank!*

'Hhaa..!' His voice came out as a breathless gasp, eyes widening as PoH exerted enough strength to forcefully knock «Binary» out of his hand, which gave him the opening he needed.

The blade zipped past air and any resistance, making a straight entrance into Nier's torso, cutting data flesh and his health bar. With even a stronger push, Nier was knocked down into the ground, before another powerful hit struck his head, the culprit being the man's own fist.

This was a fair fight, no matter what. It wasn't as if he had specified clearly that no combat such as this was disallowed. And Nier did not plan to use any dirty tactics of his own.

But one glance at his health bar, and he knew he was a bit more from reaching half.

Eyes shooting wide, the boy cocked back his fist, activating a «Martial Skill». His balled hand glowed an intense yellow before he delivered a painful jab to the man's covered face, a painful crack heard.

The force behind the attack sent the man backwards, body colliding with the earth as he was forced into a slight daze. Using this chance, the boy ran towards his sword. Taking it, he readied himself once more, though had difficulties keeping even his eyes open, let alone stand. All that attacks he's received was already making him lose it, but he was going to have to continue. The timer was still ticking.

PoH stood up once more, wiping his lips. He brandished his sword towards the young boy, ready to finish this fight and emerge the victor.

With one vicious cackle, he charged up his blade, streaks of red light beginning to weave out of the polished metal.

Oh no.

He's heard of this special «Sword Skill», belonging to PoH alone. It had the power of fifty regular sword strikes, exerted into three individual swings of the weapon. Extremely powerful, and there was a temporary immunity to knockback during the skill's activation. He was going to need to block, and he had to block hard!

"«Blood Laugh»!" It was close..!

*Ting!*

 ***Under Night In-Birth—Monochrome Memory (End Song)***

"Huh?" The boy blinked, hearing the timer ring. Looking up, his eyes widened.

The health bars displayed at each side were accompanied by the names of the duellers, both of whom possessed health that had been reduced slightly. And yet, it was clear as day as to who won.

It was to be expected, but Nier was surprised that he won.

"Nier!" It was far quicker than even his mind could register. At one point, they were close to the entrance. The next, the girls rushed to his side, tackling him with a powerful hug.

"God, we were so worried about you..!" Lux voiced out her concerns, keeping him close to her. Yui had said nothing, opting to sob in his shirt, so scared that he would have lost.

"A-Ahh, it's fine now," he was unsure of what to do, but he held them close to him now, wrapping his arms around both the crying girls' bodies. He let out a breath of relief, knowing that it was over now.

"Hey kid," the boy's friends took steps away from him as he turned around, gazing into the smiling face of PoH, who had removed his hood, revealing a wicked face that showed… proud? What? "You were pretty good, I must say. Anyone told you that?"

"I don't really think so. You were far more skilled than me, that I know," that statement had him wondering how the outcome of the battle would have been like had he made even _one_ simple mistake. PoH would have undoubtedly been the winner, and—

No, he won. No need to think about the opposite.

"You say that, but your skill won't change the fact that your redhead friend is going to be safe," the man snickered, all heads turned to him as he began to make his way towards the young fighter.

Each step spiked the trepidation in Nier. Was the whole duel all for nothing? The way he phrased his words earlier had him wondering if he had been fighting all this battle for nothing. And it certainly seemed so, judging by how confident the older fighter looked.

The boy couldn't take it. Eyes clenched shut faster than a bullet train against a wall, hoping that what was to come would be swift and painless. He had hoped that he would at least be able to look death in the eye without a trace of fear, but he knew that he was not that strong.

Unlike other men in this world, all of whom have achieved something great, he was just some kid. Someone who dreamed of reaching heights that have never been seen. Man, how stupid he was, he thought.

And when the footsteps stopped, the peaking of the fear, the worry, the sorrow, the feeling that he had failed someone, had all been swept away by the hand on his shoulder.

Shakily, he opened an eye.

PoH was smiling.

"The only thing that kept your friend safe was the fact that I lost to you in this fight," the man shrugged, pulling his hand away before returning to his guild, all of whom shared gawking expressions. "In any case, you'd better keep her safe, boy. Not from me, at least."

And when he snapped his fingers, life seemed to have returned to all his guild mates, as they retreated into the shadows once more, their murmuring shock about their leader having lost to some kid being the last sound that accompanied this empty room.

PoH spared one final glance past his shoulder, grinning, before he joined his guild once more.

And then, the three players were left to their own devices.

* * *

That Night—Floor 11: Taft

*Clank!*

"Cheers!" They shouted as their goblets smacked against each other, before their contents went down their individual holder's throat.

The battle posed full expectation and excitement the entire time, skyrocketing to the point where Nier could have just passed out at the last second.

Everything was a blur after «Birth From Bytes» finally deactivated. His limbs were literally like heavy sacks of sand, and just being able to move them after using up the move was practically a mircale. After the battle, he had to rest himself for at least three hours before he could move a range of two metres, before needing to rest again.

Two times he's used it, and so far, he's not that well-versed with it yet, apparently. Or, to put it simply, not that skilled with it so to avoid tire.

'Well, that's one thing to work towards to,' he sighed in his mind, taking a sandwich and filling his mouth with it. 'Work up my stamina... I didn't like doing that in the real world, but I didn't think I had to do it in the game world.'

Gyms. Every children's worst nightmare, except for the jockey types. And those that just liked sports, he supposed.

"Hey Nier," his eyebrow cocked upwards, seeing Lux avert her gaze slightly to the side. He gulped his food before he spoke.

"Yeah. What's up?" He asked back, drinking from his goblet once more. His father never drank anything alcoholic, so the boy made sure to just get water.

"Well… Is it fine if I, I don't know… Join you perhaps..?" That last part came out as a whisper, but the moment she said it, an invitation into the «Blank» stood before her, coming as a surprise that forced her to yelp.

She blinked, eyeing it for a while, before turning back to Nier, who nodded in reassurance.

"Y-You sure? I didn't really do much, to be honest," she would feel that she would be taking advantage of him, but he thought otherwise.

"I have to disagree with you on that notion. You technically helped us take care of the monsters on our way to the «Laughing Coffin's» base. Though small, you still helped, and Yui here," he nudged his young friend, who grinned at him back. "Apparently has taken a liking towards you. Wouldn't want to break her heart and send you off. And you make good company. How about that?"

"O-Oh. Okay," she had thought it to be a pressing topic, but given by how quickly he had came to accepted her made her feel all giddy inside. "W-Well, I hope to be in your care!"

She tapped the button on the message, with an emblem of just grey appearing beside her health bar. She smiled. She was actually a member of the «Blank» now!

"Welcome to the «Blank»!" Yui spoke with joy, offering the older girl a hand. The latter smiled back, slight tears in her eyes as she took it.

This felt amazing.

* * *

The Next Day

Nier? Not so much…

"Ow…" Groaned the boy as he rose into a sitting position, feeling the aching sensation bite him at every spot. He knew that using that «Sword Skill» was going to suck, but he didn't expect it to be this bad. 'No exercise, no heavy jobs, no nothing. Just need to rest my laurels…'

As much as he would have loved to stay inside the inn and just rest up for as long as needed, it would certainly be a bad idea all on its own. No doubt, he could only imagine just how much he had worried his friends, all of whom he left behind to search for PoH.

Then that told him all that he needed to do.

Still early in the morning, he noted. The scent of coffee lingered in the air, pleasant and not unwelcome. The NPC's that were already up and about were going around town, trading items with players and one another. The sounds of music, presumably chimes and violins, played in the background, adding comfort to the area.

Nier pulled up his menu, typing a short message.

 _'From: Nier_

 _Argo, mind telling everyone that we'll be back in two days time? Don't worry, everything went perfectly fine in the end. It's just that we're going to be a bit late due to some… stuff, so hold down the fort while we're away._

 _To: Argo'_

Sending the message to his friend, sounds of chimes played behind his ears. Ah, right, he forgot about them.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Thanks for the help, by the way. Couldn't have found PoH without you guys' help," he turned his head to look at both fairies, an apologetic expression on his face.

He had actually forgotten about the twins yesterday, fully occupied with the thought of going back home to his friends and the lingering exhaustion ever since the battle. Not like he wanted to forget about them, it just… sort of happened, is all.

 **"It's fine, really. We were told to help you, so there was no way we could say 'no',"** Tael chuckled, stopping on the surface of the bed, his sister just beside him.

 **"Well, at least you didn't forget about us. Tired, aren't you?"** Tatl's words elicited a yawn from the boy, before he nodded his head.

"And I still feel that way… «Birth From Bytes» took too much out of me," he scratched his head, shaking it after some time. "In any case, I wanted to ask you guys what you wanted to do after all of this. I'm leaving to return to my friends. What of you guys?"

 **"Not sure. We just knew that we had to help you. Weren't told what to do what next,"** if Tatl had shoulders, she would shrugged then and there. Instead, she opted for shaking her body, indicating a shake of the head. **"Maybe we'll just look for some place to make our home at. Who knows?"**

 **"Certainly a bland idea, but… Possibly the only one we have,"** Tael sighed, pointedly ignoring his sister's glare. **"But, I do have one idea."**

"And what's that?" The boy asked back, curious. Even his sister seemed to have interest in his next words.

 **"We could come with you, with your permission, of course,"** the black fairy suggested, his sister seemingly shocked by such a proposition. **"And no, we won't just freelance during our stay with you. We won't be bums feeding off of your kindness without repayment. We'll of course provide as much support as we possibly—"**

 **"Brother, you can't be serious!"** His sister sounded mad for some reason, which was difficult to understand. Nier wondered if he did something wrong to anger her.

 **"Please, Tatl, think about it. What good will it do us if we just stay in some cave as we've once had?"** He scoffed, for once actually sounding serious. His sister shut up immediately, taken aback by his sudden change of tone. **"Look, you know just as well as I do that… No, never mind."**

"Hey, you guys don't need to come with me if it troubles you that much. I think I'm fine either way," the boy reasoned, but earned a shake of the head from Tael.

 **"No, Nier. This… We need to come with you. It's the only way,"** he sighed at the end of his statement.

There was a long pause after that, the time taken to get a grasp of the current situation. It was eerily tense, and the conversation didn't sound all butterflies either. The spectators in the real world wondered what was going on, and couldn't help but want to know more.

Their answer would soon come, they knew, so they waited.

A minute passed, the sound of wind just outside the boy's room being the only thing that could be heard. His friends were probably going to wake up anytime soon, but he doubted it. Yui and Lux both looked tired last night, so maybe they'll be up late.

It was another minute later before Tatl spoke this time.

 **"We lost our memories, okay? We just want to know who we were before any of this,"** she spoke with a sour tone, though the melancholy in her voice could not go unnoticed. She was genuinely sad about something, and he could understand half of it.

Not knowing who you once were was just scary. Maybe you had a friend or a lover in your past life? Maybe you were a hero who saved the lives of millions before your mind shattered? Maybe there was a destiny you wanted to fulfill, but never knowing it because you lost yourself? And losing your memories means that you would obviously forget it all. It scared him to even think that.

These two were strong, though. Having lived without knowing who they were, despite them being some complex data given shape, their background story was deserving respect and sympathy.

"Tell me honestly. Are the both of you A.I.?" He knew beating around the bush would do no one good, so he, as always, decided to get straight to the point.

The fairies never said anything, but the gesture of moving their bodies up and down meant that they were saying 'yes'.

"I see… Well, at least you were honest," he sighed, checking the in-game time. It's okay if he wants to stay a bit longer in his room, he told himself. "So, did Kayaba Akihiko create you?"

 **"We… we're not sure. We feel as if he is our creator, but at the same time, it feels like something else did,"** Tael's words were indeed far too vague to actually interpret properly. Even he himself noticed just how off it sounded. **"Still, there are a few things that I am one-hundred percent confident about."**

"And what's that?" He asked once more.

 **"For one, we remember accompanying a human player before this. And yet…"** Again, he trailed off once more. Fragmented memories were hard to cope with, to be honest. **"Never mind. Two, I know that we indeed are not the only A.I.'s to have accompanied you."**

"Wait what? Tell me again, what did you say?" The boy was genuinely confused and utterly surprised, not expecting that.

 **"Indeed. In fact, she's been with you since we met you,"** he answered.

Huh. That was all that left Nier's lips as he began thinking, though the answer came to him soon enough.

A little lone girl found in the woods, who possesses the ability to act as the «Saboteur» of the team without explicitly going into detail of how it worked. It had him wondering just what sort of tricks she had used back then, but now, the pieces fit in perfectly.

So she was an A.I. this whole time, and had said nothing either because she didn't know, or didn't want to be left out, or _something_.

'Yeah, as if. There's no way I could just let her go. She's made too many friends who would miss her if she left,' he smiled, remembering just how painful—even if it was technically a short respite from one another—when Yuna departed for the «Knights of Blood».

And there was no way he could deny that he'd miss her as well.

"Well, I don't have any qualms with you coming with us," he shrugged, both fairies possessing looks of surprise—he could only tell by their gasps. "If you're willing to, that is."

The two orb-like creatures looked at each for a while, as if discussing about something. Sparing one glance at the human, however, soon gave them the answer they needed.

 **"…Yeah, we'll come,"** Tatl sighed, but the joy in her breath was not misplaced. **"Just… make sure not to lose us on your way anywhere, or anything! If that happens, I'll kill you myself!"**

"And I'll make sure that won't happen," the boy chuckled.

Maybe he couldn't see it, but he didn't need his eyes to know that the fairies were delighted with his decision. Maybe now, a little bit of light could be shed on his life.

* * *

That Evening

"You guys wanna' take a stop at Coral?" He asked, eyebrow cocked upwards.

"Yeah!" Yui nodded. "Fun fact, that's where Yuna and her friends found me."

Ah, right. He's heard the story at least once or twice from Nautilus before this.

Apparently, the 'Teleport Gate' had suddenly gone out of service temporarily, with a glitch in the system causing players to warp to random areas. The news got out quick, and as far as he could tell, players would be stuck on the floors they had accidentally stepped foot on.

Sounds pretty strange, but he had at least one idea why it happened.

'Maybe a chance encounter to some, but could have been the orchestrations of «Blank»,' at this point, he gave up trying to guess who his doppelgänger was, opting to just thank them for the help they've given.

Nonetheless, to hear from the girls that they wanted to take a visit to Coral specifically was a bit of a surprise to him. Was there an event there currently? If so, it certainly had his interest already.

Still, a bit too early to think about it. He'll just let the surprise reveal itself to him. And how else rather than going there himself?

* * *

The Next Day—Floor 22: Coral

So, after getting together all their stuff, and Nier finally rested after spending his energy for that «Sword Skill», the group of three made their way to their designated location, with their leader curious as to what was going on.

Arriving at the familiar scenery of a lake, beautiful forests and friendly civilians, both NPC and players, Nier was left to wonder as to what was going on.

"Come on!" He looked down, Yui slightly tugging on his hand. "Come on, Nier!"

"Coming..?" He blinked, allowing the girl to drag him away, with Lux following right behind them. Did the girl know what's going on already?

And truth be told, he didn't expect what was to come. Not like it was an unwelcome change anyways.


	12. Chapter 11

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

" _The game is done._ "- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 11: Playing the Game'`

 _It's without question that the «Blank» were a group of individuals from varying backgrounds, all of whom possess a bond far tighter than any of which have been seen in the game._

 _They fought together, bled together, and at times, celebrated together. They were, to put it simply, a strong family of strangers._

 _So it made sense why Nier personally took to it to look after each and every one of them, ensuring their safety and wellbeing through the times. But still, no matter how he tries, there's always the chance that they could take him by surprise._

 _And good surprises, no less._

* * *

Floor 22: Coral

Coral Town, or village—depending on how one looks at it—was indeed a beautiful place. Blessed with sculptured stone that made up the mountain range, with a variety of vegetation that came together to form the forests, and the countless life that made up the ecosystem, counting out the humans, of course.

Nier liked this place out of every floors there was. In fact, he even made friends with a fisherman player here. Nishida, was it? And it was easy to understand why.

The place was beautiful, even without the need to add any blasphemous decorations. The people were nice, constantly greeting him without miss. And more so, the fish here was practically the best, since they came fresh from the lake each morning.

Fresh fish is indeed the best, and you know it.

In any case, Yui here seemed excited to come back here. Why here out of all places, he would never know. But things certainly took a turn for the strange when he saw all his guild members standing outside of a—

"Wow," was all he could say as he looked at the beautiful piece of work that stood before him. What was going on?

All that could be said about the situation was vague, at best, but the most clearest thing there is to say, was that all his friends stood outside of a beautiful wooden cabin, made from fine logs that were taken from the forest around it. A stone roof adorned its head, with multiple windows and flowers at the edge of each windowpane.

Actually, why were they here in the first place? And did Yui know about this?

"Umm, guys? What's going on?" He gestured to the cabin behind them. Asuna stepped forwards, smiling innocently.

"It's nothing. Now come on, we have much to tell you," she didn't give him any room to speak as she suddenly took ahold of his hand, walking away into the cabin with everyone else following just behind them.

And of course, it made sense why the girls looked so mad, sans the three newcomers. In fact, Asuna wasn't all that surprised that that new silver-haired girl looked the same way.

He had a lot to tell her and the others too, it seems.

* * *

"So you're saying that, on your way to go find the «Laughing Coffin's» base, you came upon this girl here," Asuna tilted her head to Lux, who sat at the couch adjacent the table, whilst she sat opposite of Nier, who nodded in response to her question. "And then, you met fairies?"

"Yes. I promise, I'm not lying," he raised both arms to prevent anyone from shooting him any witty remarks.

 **"Yeah! What he said!"** Everyone jumped slightly when two orbs appeared out of Nier's hair. A black and white orb, equally shining strongly.

"My sainted mum, you were right!" Klein gawked, staring at these two creatures. "What the heck are they?"

 **"How rude! Just as Nier has told you earlier, we are fairies, dimwit!"** Tatl huffed with annoyance, the man feeling his jaws close up right at her stabbing comment.

"They helped me look for PoH and his guild. Without these two, Yui and I would've certainly not been able to find the place," he explained. "The two of them are apparently A.I.'s, designed to assist players in a circumstance of which they are facing difficulties and the like. However, a failure in the system has forced them out of «Cardinal», so they exist as NPC's as of the moment."

While not entirely the most accurate explanation there was, it was certainly the most logical thing to say. Even his fairy friends decided that it was the best thing to agree on, even if their current situation was a whole mystery.

Speaking of mystery!

"So, what have you guys been up to?" The boy was the one to ask the questions now, crossing one leg over the other as he looked at them all.

"Well, it's quite the long story, so you might want to listen well," Yuna pointed out with a smile, and Nier couldn't help the sigh.

They weren't kidding when they said it was going to be a long story.

* * *

Two Weeks Ago

Ever since Nier had departed for PoH with Yui by his side, things hadn't been too productive.

Sure, everyone were still functioning as normal as ever, but without their leader there, well… It just didn't feel right.

It's that one feeling when you're suddenly put into a new room, and your parents tell you that this, _this_ strange cube, will be your new room. You'll get used to it, but the insecurity—or at the very least, the alien feeling—will linger.

So right now, everyone were trying to do the best they could. And as such, more requests.

Lately, the number of quests had been piling on their plates faster than ever. It didn't need an all-brainer to figure out the fact that most players looked to the «Blank» as a reliable source of help. And as Nier had strictly pointed out, they weren't mercenaries.

The didn't need the clink of a coin in their boots, or the free price of a sword in return. All they needed was the safety of everyone else.

His philosophy had spread far, even without him actually noticing it—that's just how he is, and everyone just came to accept it in the end. Players developed sympathy towards one another, and actually came to look out for everyone. It was a slow process, but the seed had been tightly weaved into the dirt. The stem was growing flowers.

Anyways.

*Ching!*

"A bit faster, if you may," Agil instructed with a huff, the brown-haired girl nodding before taking distance away from him, ready to begin again.

Yuna had apparently not given up on the rapier, opting to go both supportive and offensive at the same time. A challenging feat, no doubt, but one she was willing to take for the good sake of both herself, Nier and the «Blank».

Bringing up her silver blade so to lay in the air, parallel to the ground, she charged up a simple «Sword Skill», before thrusting forwards, the end of her weapon striking the shield Agil weld hard, but bounced back.

Not enough strength.

Sighing, the brunette put away her weapon, noticing the smirk the older man had on his face.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Nothing. It's just that I've heard that you never really fought before this. Joining «Knights of Blood» meant that you had to watch out for yourself, so you had to fight too, huh?" She nodded at his words, accepting it as simple fact.

"It was far different than how things function here, I will say that much," the girl sat down at a bench, the man keeping silent. A signal for her to continue. "I mean, unlike here, everyone has to look out for themselves."

"What do you mean? The survival of your guild mates are just as prioritized there as they are here, aren't they?" It was easily mistaken to be some form of misunderstanding, but how serious she sounded made it seem that she knew exactly what she was talking about. That had him curious.

"You're right. But unlike here… That place is just made up of a large group of strangers, all of whom only want to watch out for themselves. But here, we're all worrying for each other, making sure that… Haah, how do I explain this?" She chuckled, somewhat embarrassed. "We're a _family_ here. There? We're just a guild."

Taking her words into account, he could make out a fair distinction, some of which he could understand.

It was understandable for him to be unable to fully comprehend it. He wasn't in her shoes, and didn't experience life in two separate guilds. All this time, after the songstress had returned with her friends, he's chosen to join Nier and his little band, wanting to make sure they don't do anything foolish or extremely destructive to themselves—their leader especially.

They needed someone old and wise to look out for them, and though they may not show it much, they really are thankful for him—just that they tend to laugh it off, even if they don't mean it.

From a first glance, the «Blank» was a little guild of some good friends who decided to play 'Castles & Dragons' and wanted to band up together. Many may mistake them for a bunch of novices, aiming not to free themselves from this world, but rather, merely enjoy it.

That was both correct and wrong.

Nier did indeed make it his goal to free everyone out of here. It's just that he tends to get sidetracked every now and then. Heck, he's not even here right now!

"Tell me. How do you know Rosalia again? I wasn't really listening back then," he broke the silence, keeping a steady gaze on her.

"We were taking the examination to leave the «Knights of Blood». Heathcliff required us to be able to defeat an officer in battle. To prove our mettle, so to speak," she explained, continuing further. "In any case, there was me, Strea and Nautilus. We had chosen who we wanted to fight, but then the officer brought an ally. Although, we couldn't really blame him. Three against one wasn't fair."

"I see. So this officer had gotten Rosalia to help him in the fight?" A nod from the girl. He hummed, understanding a bit of the story now. "She fought with a spear last time I saw her hunting. Is she good?"

"She is. The only reason why we won was because we utilised Nier's «Paradigm Shift» tactic, so we basically caught them off-guard," there was a short pause there, used up to think up on her next words. "Agil… Do you think Nier's hiding something from us?"

"Why's that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, he's really strong. But doesn't it sound strange? I mean, he's not some player who decided to grind for long. We've watched him, but he's levelled up a bit too fast. Makes me wonder…" Her lips pursed together, thinking.

She had been wondering about it for a while. Klein was certainly lax, not much for the details—in fact, he was much more thankful over the fact that he was this strong now—but Yuna couldn't help it. Was there some secret that allowed him to grow this strong over time?

In fact, how did he create such a tactic that proved to overthrow even the three-man party system of which was focused in this game?

Her mind was ready to grind gears, until a cross between a scoff and a chuckle could be heard from the bald man, who was shaking his head, an amused look on his face.

"You're doubting him," he spoke.

Of course, such a thing was impossible for Yuna. She was the very first person the young boy had interacted with, and the very first person besides Nautilus she came to trust fully. Add to the fact that she was crushing on him, _hard_ , basically rendered the possibility to dust.

But there was one thing that he knew.

To accuse any girls in Nier's harem—everyone in the game world were betting on who was going to be the first girl that wins his heart, and competition was looking extremely fierce—of betraying him was basically their kryptonite. It was painful, unbelievable, and simply terrifying.

And the look of guilty disbelief that was then written on her face, colour slightly gone, meant that the effect was clear.

"W-What?! I would _never_!" Her voice was high, laced with so much pain and horror that reflected even in her eyes. "Agil, I-I could never—I'll never do that! I won't, a-and Nier doesn't deserve that, and, and..!"

"Calm down, calm down. I know you meant well," he raised his hand, getting her to stop. "Listen, I won't say anything, but you must know that whatever Nier does, it's for the goodwill of those around him. You've been with him far longer than I have, and you know just how reckless he could be."

No kidding. He never relied on others. When has he? He fought with an ironclad army behind him, but he was the selfless king who would ride into the flames of war on his own.

The way he carried himself in battle was basically him saying: 'Stay away. Away from danger. Away from death. I'll take care of it on my own. Be safe, live, and if I die, keep living'.

He's stupid. He's far too dangerous to even himself. He worries far too many people without realising it. He would find himself in far too many dangerous situations, and even then, he would never ask for anyone to help him.

Just how far would he go for others without taking the time to look out for himself?

"Listen to me when I say this, Yuna, because I'm going to say it only once," his words were serious, missing all the joking tone he had before, which scared the girl for a bit. No wonder some people were afraid of him. "Nier is a person who's risking his life day and night for some players he doesn't even know. Hell, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if he saved some other lass."

Funnily enough, the moment he had said this was exactly the moment Nier had taken Lux into the cave, interrogating her a bit.

"So you just need to know two things. _Two_ things," he brought up two fingers, flicking each down with every point he said. "One, we need to be there to protect him whenever the situation gets rough, even when he's not going to ask for our help. We just need to be there to save him, no matter what. And two, whatever goes on with him is his own business. If he doesn't want to say anything, then let him. He has good reason, and he's doing whatever to help us all. Just trust him."

He backed away from the pole of which he had previous leaned against, making his way to check up on «Blank's» armour supply. No doubt, since he could get the goods, and they had a blacksmith as an ally, every piece of equipment could be upgraded to a perfect level.

And once his footsteps had disappeared, out of earshot, Yuna looked down.

Taking the hat off her head, she stared at it. Same white, with the pale blue feather attached to it. A piece of accessory he had given to him just for fun that day, yet meant the world to her.

Eyes watering slightly, she blinked them all away, somewhat ashamed of herself. If she couldn't trust him, then what good was she to him?

"I'm sorry…" She whispered to no one in particular, hugging her treasure close to her.

* * *

The Next Day

"You're kidding…" This had to be a joke.

"Umm… I don't think so?" God, this was actually real.

"Klein, I know you didn't raise your cooking skill as high enough, but it should be close to impossible to mess up something as simple as… _this_ ," she gestured to the plate of black matter, thinking that he had found this from some trash site.

But nope. In fact, Klein had an interest in trying out the cooking function in the game, so he asked Agil to secure him some ingredients—the man had a bad feeling, and it turned out to be true—all of which he had used to forge whatever monstrosity was on this plate.

He called this fried rice? Hell no!

This was nothing short of disgusting, and she knew it without even needing to taste it! The rice had been charred beyond digestible, the meat was shredded and burnt beyond recognition, the vegetables used were turned into mush—and no one liked squashed vegetables, mostly—and all she wanted to know was where it took a turn for the worse.

Asuna knew that she shouldn't criticise others. Some people had a limit, and others excelled in other things. But for him to be _this_ bad…

The game tried to help, it did. It was just Klein, really.

"I don't know! I did exactly as I saw you and Yuna do as always, but then it turned out like this!" He shrugged with a well-practiced—or was that actually real? She couldn't tell at this point—look of hurt, though even she knew he was probably being his goofy self as always.

"You know, if you wanted to, you could have asked us…" She sighed, but then the topic of Yuna came to mind.

No doubt, the songstress was steadily improving in that field. And soon enough, who knows? She might actually _surpass_ her.

No, this was bad. She was the head chef of «Blank», and she held slight pride towards that knowledge. Knowing that someone else would soon take the throne from under her was both terrifying and unbelievable—though, with everyone practically calling her dishes to be almost on-par with the strawberry blonde's, she couldn't discount the possibility.

Even then, the knowledge that someone else was doing just as good as she had given her the motivation to become even better, determined to win this competition between both of them.

Plus, cooking was the way to a man's heart. And if it was Nier, who wouldn't want to?

*Creak…*

The rundown building was not all that nice to stay in, and was especially dangerous since on the outskirts of the town, so just a few more steps out of the area meant that they'd be in dangerous territory. Since it was in the area of the safe zone, however, it was safe to say that they weren't going to get attacked anytime soon.

And knowing that this was going to be their base for the time being, the guild had improved the state of the building, making sure that everything was fine.

This ranged to the kitchen, the training area at the back, the multiple rooms to use for the night, and other places that weren't needing much explanation.

Rosalia appeared into the kitchen, watching as the strawberry blonde lectured the samurai on his need to be more careful with the resources, afraid that, at this point, everything would be used up dry because of him.

A stern looking Asuna as she continued to nag, and a bashful Klein chuckling away in embarrassment. The redhead smirked as she watched, wondering just how much fun this guild could be.

* * *

Three Days Later

"Alright everyone, please gather up," Asuna called, with everyone rounding up at the table in the centre of the room. She had a deadly serious look on her face, which was especially rare, considering that nothing grave had happened recently.

Then again, she must know something if she looked this mad.

"We've just recently been requested to take down a group of orange players who have been running amok. The «Knights of Blood's» leader, Heathcliff, have formally made this request to us, so we are to see to it that the problem is taken care of," there was no mistaking the formal tone behind her voice, unlike the usually casual girl she is.

She was the Vice Commander of this guild, and she was going to play her part properly.

"Did Heathcliff send us the whereabouts of this pack of players?" Yuna questioned, earning a nod from her fellow rapier-wielder.

"Indeed. He's said that they were located on floor 49. Players have been reporting of a group of players that attack them when they least expected, and all of it leads to this location," she explained briefly, earning a raise of the hand from Strea. "Yes?"

"Are all of us going there? Because that sounds like a bad idea," she voiced out her concern. "If all of us go, some bad guys might come here and steal all our stuff."

"No kidding. We're gonna' risk losing everything if all of us go at the same time, so some us should stay back to watch over the place," Agil added with a grunt.

"So we'll let these three girls," Argo gestured to Rosalia, Silica and Lisbeth. "To stay here, and some others will go out. Who's good to go?"

"I know I am!" Klein pumped his fist in the air, looking excited. "I haven't broken loose for some time now, so I want to go!"

"I'm fine staying here. I don't feel too confident in my skills just yet," Sachi chuckled, holding her spear close to her.

"Okay. Then who else would like to go?" Yuna's question was met with hands from Asuna, Argo, and her two friends from «Knights of Blood». "Okay then. The six of us will take part in this skirmish. Agil, I'm leaving you in charge of this place while we're away."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure it stays intact when you get back," he nodded in reassurance.

Adjourning the meeting with a few more words, the brunette made her way into her room, packing everything that she would need. She left the preparation of rations and potions in Agil's hands, seeing that he was the supplier of the guild.

From the corner of her room rested a simple chest, made of old wood and designed with cold metal. She went to it, fiddled with the locks for a bit before she pulled it open, revealing a brand new rapier.

Lisbeth had made it for her under Asuna's request, the latter saying that the songstress's old weapon was far too worn out to be used further. As such, this was what she would be wielding from now on.

With a silver hilt, a long blade that extended from it, and a black crystal embedded in the hilt. It was equally light as it was powerful, designed with the lass's capability as a «Ravager» kept in mind. This would certainly help her to move much faster without needing to worry about her mobility being cut down and the like.

Spending at least a few seconds, merely staring at it as the rapier sat in the chest, she finally took it, swapping her previous rapier for this new one.

The girl took in a short breath, before steeling her nerves. She could fight now, and this was all that she wanted. No longer would she need to hide behind others. She has the chance to fight alongside everyone else, and she was going to take the chance.

Equipping herself with the weapon, she left the room, wondering what was to come.

* * *

Floor 49: Myujen

The town was beautiful. Imitating an urban style, each building were arranged in a circular style away from the centre, where the 'Teleport Gate' was at. There was also a large church there, quite close to the central market. And what stood out the most was the clock tower there, tall and mighty.

Supposedly, this was also the place that «Nicholas the Renegade» was located at. Argo remembered hearing from some players that no one had actually found the boss, which meant that no one had the revival item.

That was a bummer, the information broker thought. They could have used that in a case of emergency.

Nonetheless, they weren't here for some boss. Right now, there were stray players on the loose. They were of most importance right now.

Letting them remain this way was going to be troublesome for other players. Some have already reported that they have been robbed of their equipment and Cor, which was equally terrible as it did suck.  
"So, where should we go?" Klein asked, looking around him. The town was pretty big, so if they wanted to, they could have just hide here if they wanted.

"Hmm… Well, first action we could do is flush out this entire place, but that might take too long. By then, they would have probably escaped…" Asuna hummed, pondering on their next course of action. "Okay, we'll split into two. Klein, Argo, you're with me. Yuna, you take Strea and Nautilus with you."

"Of course," the boy nodded, looking ready.

"We can't hope of searching this entire town together, so we'll do it this way," the rapier wielder looked to the «Synergist» and «Medic» of the team. "We need to call every player and NPC out. If anyone tries to run, Yuna, you are to stop them."

"But what if they're already running by then?" Argo asked.

"That's what we'll be doing," the 'Vice Commander' said, the yellow-haired girl nodding. "Yuna will call everyone to the centre. And when we see anyone trying to escape, we're to capture them at all costs. However, if possible, do not kill them."

"Not like it's possible," Klein snickered. "This is a safe area, after all."

"A-Ah, right," the girl turned away, somewhat embarrassed for that little slip-up.

After everything else, the group parted ways, ready to fulfil their tasks.

* * *

A Minute Later

"Okay, everyone! I'd like to take a bit of your time, if you'd please!" Yuna raised her voice for everyone in the square to hear her.

It was something that was rather strange for a member of the «Blank» to be suddenly calling them all out here. The initial thought of them being in trouble was soon extinguished when she had stated her intentions to merely ask them on something.

Their initial hope was producing fruit.

"H-Hey… I don't feel good about this…" Strea, had she been a feline, would have felt her ears raise in attention.

"Shh..! If they catch up, everything'll be wasted up to this point..!" Another person cried out in a whispery voice.

Body shaky, slightly sweating on the forehead, avoiding eye contact. Yup. Their orange players were right where they wanted them to be.

Strea was happy that she had taken to following Nier's example and upgrading her 'Detection' skill. It certainly proved to be beneficial, and it wasn't going to fail her now. The ability to sense even the most minute change in her surroundings, and the slightest change in one's posture or movement was proving to be invaluable, and it was all thanks to her awesome leader.

Even so, it wasn't even his intention. Heck, he didn't upgrade his 'Detection' skill to begin with! «Libra» was extremely helpful, in his case.

Not that anyone would know.

"Nau-Nau," she poked her friend by the hand, making a soft tilt to the crowd. He could see a small group of players, approximately four, straining themselves to look casual.

He nodded, making sure not to keep his attention focused on the area, in case it would scare them away.

Instead of rushing down there to apprehend them himself, he traded the thought to type a message to Asuna, stating their current location, their appearances, the equipment they had—that which he could see with his eyes and nothing more—and a variety of other miscellanies.

"So everyone! Can I ask you, do you know who we are?" The songstress asked, opting to buy her friends enough time.

"You're the «Blank»," a random NPC answered.

"You're right! You see, we came here to actually ask you something," she began. "You see, there has been rumours of a powerful monster roaming just outside the town. Is this true?"

A sigh of relief. Four, to be exact.

'Well, that certainly doesn't help you all that much,' the boy thought as he watched all four orange players shift away from the crowd by just a bit, relaxed by that deceitful claim from the songstress. 'Good job, Yuna..!'

"No? Strange. Someone said that it's a humanoid that has already defeated approximately eleven players up until now. Is there truly nothing here?" When the people gave her voices or gestures of disagreement, she feigned a confused look, putting a finger on her lip. "Really? That's not what I was told…"

*Shhng!*

"Freeze!" Everyone in the crowd froze as three players emerged from the back, brandishing their weapons and surrounding a group of four players, all of whom looked terrified.

"Oh, sh*t! They found us!" The leader, a man of a thin build with a scruffy beard yelled, had tried to evade capture, but he wasn't ready to be tackled to the ground by a little girl. "Gah!"

"Yeah! Strea one, orange player zero!" The purplette happily cheered, taking the man into a choke hold, keeping him grounded.

And a pity to his members. The loss of their leader heavily affected their performances, and they soon found themselves with ropes binding them by the body and arm, thus ensuring their absolute capture.

Well... That was quick. Err, mission accomplished.

* * *

After having secured the orange players, Asuna and the others were in search of the Magistrate in the town, wanting to just dump these guys away and get back to base. And she only knew the existence of such a thing with the help from her leader.

Nier was always a lone wolf sometimes, opting to go out of his way to learn more about the game. Hell, if he wanted to, he could have been an information broker, and no doubt a better one than Argo—she herself, while never daring to drop her pride as one, couldn't help but admit that he did indeed did a better job at it than she could ever have.

Each major city on each floor possessed an NPC police department, call it as you will, or more specifically, a Magistrate. They operate on a daily basis, dealing with crimes and the like. With enough solid evidence, they wouldn't mind putting players behind bars, with warrants ranging from arrests to the chopping block.

It wasn't on the free guidebook that were passed out to every player on the first floor, but it was an important detail that was soon passed out to everyone.

In any case, the group of six were currently looking for the Magistrate, with Klein whining about how the town was far too big. Even so, they never gave up, deciding to ignore his complaints.

The samurai kept an ironclad grip on two men's arms, with their hands bound by rope behind their backs. Nautilus took one, while Strea took the other—no joke, she looked way stronger than given credit.

It was some time later, as they continued to walk down the cobble road, they came upon a large, imposing building, with guards stationed outside, wielding pikes. It was constructed out of black bricks with a touch of iron to give it a menacing aura, enough to scare any those who were forced into it. There wasn't much to its details, but it still managed to terrify players.

Forcing the whimpering orange players forwards, the group travelled down the hallways, before arriving at a counter, the lead Magistrate of this building busy—

Wait a minute, is that a picture of Nier?

"Umm… Excuse me?" While certainly confused, Yuna decided to leave it be.

Then again, if the Magistrate of this building seemed to look at her crush in that way, someone was going to the cells as well. And with a few beatings, no less.

"Hmm? Ahh, welcome. How may I help you?" The Magistrate asked as he tipped his head properly on his head, pushing the picture to the side.

"Why do you have a picture of our leader with you?" She couldn't help but narrow her eyes on him, the men—Klein, Nautilus and their captives—feeling a shudder go down their spine.

"Forgive me for that. See, news of your guild have flown everywhere, and your reputation had skyrocketed in almost an instant. One of my assistants told me of your leader, and I was just curious as to what sort of person he was," he chuckled, missing the sigh of relief from the girls. "In any case, what can I help you with?"

"We have four orange players here, who have been committing theft against others," Asuna answered, tilting her head to the four, who looked pale. "And we intend to turn them in."

"Really, now? Well then, scum like you," the players couldn't help but feel hurt at that. "Deserve punishment then. Harold, Giurat! Take these scum away, and see to it that they're locked up properly!"

"You got it," a blue-haired NPC came out from somewhere, taking two men while his fellow guard took the other, dragging them off to some horrible place the «Blank» didn't dare to think of.

"Hmph. It's like they have nothing else better to do with their lives. Thank God you people are here to save the peace in this world," the NPC sighed, pulling out a piece of yellow paper from his desk, before placing it on the counter. "In any case, can I get you to sign this?"

Asuna gave a silent nod, taking a quill from the container beside her and signing down some things on the paper. Her name, her friends' names, their guild's name—though hesitant, she eventually left it blank, just as Nier wanted it to be. Once that was all done, she returned it to the Magistrate, who gave her a sack of Cor, eliciting a chuckle from the girl.

Not that she was being cocky, thinking that the job was easy. Rather, it was the knowledge that their vault was already so much, so adding more to it was probably gonna' infuriate Nier.

Because of one simple thing. With that much money, they get to buy anything, and Asuna would probably ask him to go buy groceries, which he didn't like. Not that he was lazy, but was just bad at choosing since everything would look so good.

He can be pretty adorable at times.

* * *

Floor 48: Lindarth

Returning to the creaky building that served as their headquarters, even if temporary, the group of six all felt relieved and happy to be home now, a mission accomplished.

"So, how'd it go?" Agil asked as their guild's 'Vice Commander' entered the house, the other five just behind her.

"Just fine. The whole operation went down without a hitch," she answered, sighing in tire and relief when she sat down on the couch. "So, how're they? Everyone else, I mean."

"Not much happened. They're just worried about what's going on. Nier's been gone for a bit of a time, after all," he sighed, crossing his arms as his back met the wall. "In any case, Lisbeth said she wanted to see you. She's upstairs, by the way."

"Okay," she nodded, making her way to the staircase that lead upstairs.

Rows of bedrooms were lined adjacent to each other. This place would have been perfect to be used as some inn, if not for the fact that it was already rundown and broken.

Creaky tiles, shifted bricks that had little cracks in them, dim lighting. The paint on the walls and doors had peeled and disappeared, and the flowers outside the house had already wilted and died. Thankfully, with help from Agil, they were supplied with enough materials, and the kitchenware worked just fine.

She walked a further in, reaching a door with a pink handle—painted by Strea during her free time once. She gave a few raps on the door.

"Lisbeth, are you in there? It's me, Asuna," she called from the outside. The handle twisted for a bit, before the door opened, revealing a smiling Lisbeth.

"Hey, Asuna! Done with your mission already?" She asked, swinging the door fully open.

"Yeah. It was really quick, I tell you," she chuckled back. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Sure. Come on in," the pink-haired blacksmith stepped away from the door, allowing her friend to come in. "Oh, and lock the door. I've got something to talk to you about."

"Umm… Okay," while certainly surprising, she knew that this was going to be a serious talk, one way or another. Still, she heeded her friend's request, shutting the door and locking it. She leaned against it. "So, is there anything bothering you?"

Her immediate response was not properly structured, coming out in the form of a tired sigh. She raised an eyebrow, taking note of the draining of all the optimism her friend previously had.

"…Your leader. Nier, was it?" A nod prompted the blacksmith to continue. "How is he like in battle? I mean, how does he fight?"

A strange question, but she didn't really mind.

"Well, I haven't the time to fully get to know him," her words brought forth a frown from the girl, jealous that Yuna was far quicker than her in terms of days. But Argo won in a matter of a month. Damn it, she has some competition ahead of her. "I do know that he's making sure that everyone's fine and alive. But…"

She pauses, knowing the most obvious trait of him that everyone else knows about him as well. A troubling attitude that everyone could not help but worry about.

"He's a bit reckless. He's acting on a kamikaze basis," she would have never imagined herself saying such a word. "He always puts himself in the field of danger, and he's never going to rely on others."

"Hah. So he's a solo player who doesn't care about himself? Strange. He seemed to be the leader type to me," the pink-haired girl snorted, the smile disappearing when the frown on her friend's face lingered. "Tell me. Do you like him?"

"W-What? I-I don't know what you're talking about," says the girl who pointedly averted her gaze from her friend, cheeks blushing brightly.

"You say that, but I know that nothing in this game ever gets you flustered. Nothing but Nier," the smirk came to her easily right after, only making the blush grow stronger. "Look, I'm not going to say that it's a bad idea to like him, but make sure you be careful, alright? Wouldn't want you to regret or anything."

"R-Right," there was no mistaking the embarrassment on her face, but there was nothing she could do to mask it now. Talking about Nier _always_ made her embarrassed.

*Slam!*

"Hey Asuna!" Both girls turned to the door, forcefully slammed open by the samurai with the bandana tied around his forehead, who had a look of surprise on his face. "There's something you need to check out!"

* * *

The girls followed the man downstairs, with every other members of the «Blank» there as well, possessing looks of curiosity. Seems that Klein was the only one who knew something, and had said absolutely nothing at them this whole time.

"What's the matter, Klein? You look as if someone gave you a new sword," Nautilus commented, earning a few 'Tsk's' from the older male.

"A mistake you have made, my young boy. But nope. Look here!" He pulled out a flyer from his inventory, laying it out on the table for all to see. Everyone's gaze shifted to the piece of paper, with a picture of floor 22. Coral was even in it.

"This is floor 22. Is there something wrong?" Silica asked.

"No, that's not it. Look at this, over here. The words bolded out," he pointed a finger to where the words were outlined darkly, large and big. It read 'CABIN FOR PURCHASE'. "I was thinking. Since this place isn't all that nice, and don't even think about denying it, what if we bought this place?"

"Are you sure? It looks pretty expensive," Yuna's eyebrows furrowed together in worry, uncertainty playing in her pupils. "See? It says one million Cor."

"And how much money do we have?" The samurai asked back, one eyebrow raised with a smirk. His face was literally screaming 'Go on, tell me'. He knew how to tick someone off, and this was the best example.

"You're not wrong. Nier's done way too much, and has added much to our pockets. Heck, he did say that we could buy ourselves a house or two if we so wanted to," the bald man, oldest out of everyone else here, couldn't help but chuckle in agreement. "So, we move here. But that cabin's—"

"Too small for us alone. So, we have some people build us a separate headquarters nearby," the samurai gave a shrug, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I planned for the cabin to Nier's only, to be honest. I mean, think about it. He's our leader. He deserves the best."

"Well, aren't you the considerate best friend?" Argo snickered, grinning slyly. "Still, I can understand your logic. He does kinda' deserve it, after everything he's done and gone through."

"Yeah… Okay then. So, we'll buy this cabin for Nier, and then build a separate building close to it so that it's our living quarters. Well, that doesn't sound too bad," their 'Vice Commander' gave a nod, actually liking the idea. "Alright. As 'Vice Commander', I see no reason so to object with your decision. What about everyone else?"

Each and every other person gave their own gestures or voices of agreement. She nodded back in response.

"How long will it take?" She asked.

* * *

Three Days Later—Floor 22: Coral

Arriving at the site of the log cabin, untouched yet still grande as ever, Asuna couldn't help but feel amazed. It was really pretty, just as the picture in the flyer had depicted it to be.

The beautiful lake beside it only added to its beauty effect.

Nautilus and Agil had just gone and contacted a few builders, requesting their assistance to build a separate building for them to use as their new home. Enough to fit all of them, and possibly more, because, let's face it. Nier was going to get more members along the way.

It was a fact. And the people of the real world couldn't help but agree with that thought.

A short while later, the sun began to dip low. She walked to the cabin, taking a good look at its front from the outside. An invisible barrier divided the people from the building, making it impossible for them to enter it.

Smiling, she held out a hand. Acting to her gesture, a message popped up in front of her.

'WOULD YOU LIKE TO PURCHASE THIS BUILDING?'  
'YES / NO'

She didn't need anyone telling her twice, before her lithe finger tapped against the blue circle button, with the appropriate number of funds being sent off to those that helped make this.

* * *

Present Time

"And the moment you tell me about your living quarters getting built, ironically enough, it's just finished right now," the boy sipped from his tea, visibly amused and surprised at the same time.

It was true. As they talked about recent events, it seemed that the NPC's and player builders had finished with the guild's living quarters. Checking it out, it was definitely larger than Nier's cabin, reaching a height of three-storeys high. With a gravel path leading to the front doorway, it lacked a fancy gazebo that the cabin had, but it did have a nice patch of garden in front of it.

So they're going to be living there. Nier smiled, happy that his friends were going to get a much more comfortable roof over their heads, unlike before.

He was certainly fine moving from inn to inn, since his pouch of money was not going to finish. Camping was fun too, but it was only fun whenever there were others with him.

But how about them? Did they mind the fact that they couldn't have a permanent base unlike other guilds? Ultimately, he was satisfied that they now had a nice place to lodge at, and not need to worry about rain over their heads.

"So tell me. If this is my cabin, I'm going to get this whole place all to myself?" It was certainly a mad thought, until all of them gave a nod. "You can't be serious."

"Well, as Asuna said, this _is_ for you," Yuna chuckled, scratching her cheek. "I mean, it's not like we're going to be away."'

 **"They're not wrong,"** Tatl appeared, sprinkling dust in the air as she flapped her silvery wings. **"I mean, it's just next door."**

"This isn't the same as camping or sleeping in a motel, you know. We at least sleep in the same space or next doors, but in separate homes? No way, that is not going to happen," he shook his head, acting like some spoiled child this time.

 **"That's… a strange way to look at things, but it is your way,"** Tael chuckled.

"Okay… Then who do you want to sleep with you?" Agil asked.

And at that moment, he couldn't help but feel the tension in the air skyrocket all of a sudden. Eyeing his surroundings—

Ahh. It made sense now. The women.

Of course, his guild was mostly composed of women. With Rosalia, Lisbeth and Silica still not part of the picture yet, there were seven girls, two of which were still unaffected by his charms; Strea and Yui. The others, however, were engaged in a battle for his love, all of them none the willing to give up.

Agil couldn't help but somewhat pity the boy. How he could have so many girls chasing after him, yet not realise the fact that they do indeed love him. Sure, he was innocent to a fault, in terms of the mind that is, but how daft could he be? Surely, he should notice it by now, right?

"Hmm… I wonder…" The boy thought, tapping his chin.

Yeah, oblivious does not do him justice enough.

"Okay, let's make this simple then. Klein and I will sleep here, on the couch, while you sleep in your room," the man offered, the other male giving a nod of agreement.

"And I can keep you company!" All heads snapped towards Yui's direction, the girl sporting a bright smile and a slightly flushed face.

At first, all the girls wanted to reason with her so to keep her distance away from their crush, but the knowledge of her treating him like an older brother soon came to mind. She wasn't one for romance, and there was no way she was going to be so any time soon.

Though reluctant, the girls accepted her decision, giving thumbs-up.

"Well, fine. I guess I don't mind," he shrugged, before smiling at the little ravenette. "But in bed. I can't have you sleeping on the couch. Father would not like it if I treat a girl with unfairness."

He was unaware of the sounds of hearts breaking, tears spilt in shame as the little girl would get the chance for a little bit of skinship with the crush of their life, even if it was just innocent and nothing more.

Silica, at one point—as Klein noticed, being the only one besides his fellow male friend unfazed by the events that were transpiring—looked almost disappointed. There, the seeds of affection have been planted in her, and it would only be a matter of time.

Rosalia couldn't help the smile, amused by what she was seeing. Even so, the knowledge that the young boy had risked both life and sword for her had done little to nothing to stop her from adoring the boy.

And Lisbeth? Well… She certainly didn't have the experience of falling in love. But seeing her friend basically crushing on the guy that hard had her wondering if she had any chance.

'Man. Is his charisma his unique skill or something? 'Cause I feel as if he could win any girls in the blink of an eye…' His best friend, while always certainly proud of the boy for his accomplishments and other things, had felt his pride as a man shattered.

And Nier, unaware of the varying thoughts around him, remained sitting, drinking from his cup of warm apple tea as he continued to think.

Was there ever a time when life was dull? He certainly didn't think so, thanks to the help of his parents. He had been introduced to this and that, new things that had him wondering just how big this world was. Gaming, hacking, singing, playing, painting, calculations, algebra, biology, and other things were just part of the grand offers of The Almighty.

Everyone, including him, had the freedom to choose whatever path they so wished to pursue. And the fact that his family continued to support him, despite the choices he made, had him growing ever more grateful for them.

He wondered then, what it would have been like if he never had any interests in gaming. Surely, he'd be working in the music industry by now, or he could try researching organisms and developing new theories for the world to use.

Ultimately, however, this was the life of which he now goes through, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

'Plus…' He looked down to his right hand. When he felt scared, he would bite it. But recently, he's been feeling a sort of strength in it, unable to do anything but enjoy it.

This was both fun, and amazing. A new, fresh breath.

'No matter how much I try to read them,' and the monochromatic-haired boy thought with amusement, smiling as he watched his fairy friends interact with their fellow A.I., the news still not yet revealed to everyone else, who were too busy talking about random topics. 'They still manage to surprise me…'

Again, he wouldn't have it any other way.


	13. Chapter 12

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 12: The «Blank»'`

 _A quite few people in the world had never heard the name of the «Blank», let it be the guild or the swordsman._

 _And in the eyes of many, it was a band of courageous heroes who would fight tooth and nail for the survival of everyone, no matter what._

 _Well, that is indeed a way to look at them. But the most obvious thing, was that they were people. Simple people that lived simple lives, stuck in a game. They fought together, and their bonds only grew._

 _If only one knew the strength of them, together._

* * *

Floor 22: Coral Village

The twenty-second floor never failed to grant its residents a peaceful surrounding and a beautiful scenery, complimented by a large forest, a bountiful lake which was home to so many life, and how nice the people were.

*Sssp…*

And of course, another perfect day to drink coffee.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm actually starting to like coffee," Nier muttered as he stared down at his beverage, his samurai friend chuckling from opposite of where the boy sat.

"See? It's not that bad. You just need to ignore the bitterness and focus on the aftertaste at times," he explained. "Most people like it sweet, but that just gets rid of the taste. It's like tea, I think. I don't know, you get what I mean, right?"

"I can," he nodded, drinking even more.

It's already been a month since they've moved here, and needless to say, so many things have happened. So much that, and he would say this with a witty remark, he almost considered writing a diary.

Lisbeth, Silica and Rosalia finally chose to devote their services to him, much to his surprise. While he had no qualms so to let them in, there was no doubt that he was indeed curious. And asking them only prompted the same response—

Because they wanted to help him.

Help him with what? To get out of this game? Well, it made sense, but other guilds were doing the same thing too. Pointing this out, however, they remained stubborn, deciding to remain with him nonetheless.

It might make sense in a 'Chain Reaction' sort of thing. Asuna, Liz's friend, was here. And Silica and Rosalia were the blacksmith's friends, so they joined in.

Well, isn't that confusing?

The next thing he's realised was, well, besides Yui who decided to sleep with him in his room, his fairy friends decided to bunk in as well, saying that there was nothing in the world that would make them sit in the same room with a snoring Agil and Klein.

The two men denied the accusation vehemently, but with enough proof, looks like they were on the receiving end of everyone's sneers.

And the thing that took the cake was that the clearing guilds have finally made it all the way to floor sixty. Of course, the «Blank's» assistance had ultimately settled the battles much quicker than ever, and things went smoothly; no one died, which was an amazing thing on its own.

"So Nier, what do you think you're going to do with «Monado»?" The boy raised a brow, staring back into his friend's eyes, who had a casual look. "I mean, the day you got that thing, you basically haven't touched that thing. At. All."

"Mmm. I just feel so comfortable wielding «Binary» that using something else besides it just feels… off," he shrugged. "Oh, and my bow too. Anything besides those two feels weird."

"But you've been using things besides just your sword and your bow, and I know you do," he scoffed in response, leaning into the couch comfortably. "I've seen you borrow Liz's mace a few times, and you're confident with a spear no less. Daggers? Easy. Rapier? Easy. The «Monado's» just another sword. Well, with a weird design, that is."

"Well, sure, but know this. I only use those things in the case that the enemy has a weakness to that specific weapon," the boy set his cup down, empty. "Like, a «Lizardman Lord». Weak to rapiers. «Killer Mantis», swords. And we know «Granite Elementals» hate maces."

"Okay, okay, I get it! But aren't you at least curious about it? Like, you've never used it before. What if it's really special, and you don't know?" The man hummed, noticing Lisbeth and Argo enter the living room.

"Hmm… You're not wrong…" Dang it, the guy can be pretty persuasive whenever he wants to be. Sighing, the boy stood up. "Okay then. You're coming with me outside, and we'll give this bad boy a test drive."

"Alright!" The samurai stood up excitedly, pumping his fist in the air with that goofy smile he was well-known for.

"Going where?" The blacksmith asked, undoubtedly curious.

"Nier's gonna' try using «Monado». You girls are free to watch if you want," the samurai answered, earning surprised looks from them.

"Well, this _is_ a new weapon, and _Nier_ no less," the 'Rat' snickered. "Coming!"

* * *

Arriving at the lake, the three members of the «Blank» watched as their leader tap a few buttons, until the familiar, yet abnormal blade appear into his hand.

And yet again, he was holding it with just one hand. It was way too heavy for everyone else, so how is he holding it just right?

"Okay, so we…" The boy swung the blade in the air, giving it a few strokes. But that was it. Nothing so amazing happened, which somewhat destroyed the anticipation his members had. "That's it? Huh. How disappointing."

"You know, looking at it, it feels as if it's kinda' flawed. I mean, it's large, so it's definitely going to be slow. And the edge doesn't seem all that sharp, so it's probably going to act more of a hammer than a sword," Lisbeth's analysis was logical, but there was a feeling that he was missing something here.

Surely, Kayaba didn't create this sword just for the sake of it, right? Or maybe it was made by the hacker who was currently using his title?

Better yet, what if it was a key of sorts? A key to some lock that they had to find, which would ultimately help them in some form of way against the final boss of this game.

No doubt, it would be too much trouble to keep this sword with him if it wouldn't be of any help. Carrying junk around was just stupid, unless it could be sold. And this blade was certainly interesting, and would no doubt attract the attention of treasures maniacs.

But he knew the sword can still be weld. He just needed to figure it out.

"Hey, what if it has some activation code or something?" Argo suggested, earning questioning looks from everyone else. "Think about it. It could be a weapon that only works if they say the appropriate code. Doesn't that sound about right?"

"Well, sure, but even if we do know it has a code, we don't know what's the code," the boy planted the sword in the dirt.

Then there was the sound of dust flying in the air, with sprinkles. Soon enough, Tatl and Tael appeared, floating in the air.

 **"Hey, Nier. What's that?"** Tael asked, ever the polite fairy he was.

"Well, we were in a boss battle, and we found this weapon," he answered. "We fought against «Mechonis»."

 **"«Mechonis»..?"** All heads turned to Tatl, who sounded strangely sad. **"That name…"**

"Does it ring a bell?" The boy asked, allowing both fairies to rest on his head.

 **"I don't know… For some reason, it just sounds bad, but even I don't know why. It just… Doesn't feel right,"** she shuddered, confused. **"Dang it. We had to lose our memories..!"**

 **"Sister, just forget it it. I'm sure all the answers will come to us in due time,"** her brother replied, sounding much calmer than she was. **"In any case, «Monado», hmm? Certainly an interesting build."**

"Yeah. It kinda' feels… off, for some reason. Maybe you guys know how to use it?" He rested the sword on the ground, allowing the fairies to inspect the weapon.

The human players watched with full attention as the two beings flew around the sword, touching every part of it in case there was something about it that may be a hint to activating the sword—if it could even be activated, that is.

The blade remained a mystery all this while, though no one had actually tried to conduct research on it, since it's always being in Nier's inventory. While some have asked to borrow it for a few, he himself never had the chance to answer.

Why? Because, as of late, he's always busy dealing with the girls around him, tending to their needs and requests far more often than anything else.

Seriously, what was he? A butler for them to call anytime? Sure, he didn't mind helping out anytime, but this was just getting ridiculous!

 **"Hmm… We thought it was a lightsaber, but it doesn't have a button,"** the female fairy hummed, somewhat annoyed that she couldn't say anything else.

This was certainly a complex device, with such a confusing mechanism inside of it. How the heck are they going to use this thing? It would certainly be a sight to see Nier wielding this in the field of battle.

Seriously though, the way he fights is just so unique that it's hard to be enthralled with the way he fights. But even he knew when the attention got embarrassing.

In any case, the fairies continued their inspection on this device, until Tael came out with a conclusion.

 **"This sword doesn't have a button. And I doubt any chants will make it function,"** no one missed the frown on the 'Rat's' face right after Tael said that. **"But maybe it responds to mental commands? Try that."**

"Okay, but what should I say then?" He asked his little friends as he held the sword in his hand. "Should I shout 'Activate' in my head or something?"

 **"Well, if it works, then why not? And if that doesn't work, just try something else,"** Tatl nodded.

Returning the nod with his own, the boy levelled his eyes close, trying to tune everything out. This would probably need his absolute focus, so any outside noise will certainly render him unable to summon this weapon's powers.

Keeping his breath steady, he opened his mind's eye, making sure to keep his mind absolutely blank. He did not need to think. He just needed to imagine the sword doing… whatever it will do once he says 'Activate' in his mind.

Just think it. Don't say it.

'Activate…' He spoke in his mind, and then he waited.

A minute passed.

Two could have very been gone.

Three down, perhaps?

He peeked an eye open, in disbelief with what happened to the sword..!

Absolutely _nothing_.

There was no difference to the blade as it had been when he held it a moment ago. It still looked the same, red blade it once was.

However, before the disappointment could take ahold of his heart, he found himself utterly taken aback by where he now stood at.

For he remembered himself to be at the side of the lake, with greens and forests stretching everywhere around him. Even above was the world happy, a painted blue canvas that sung with the wind, adorned with beautiful white puffy things that drifted past the sky.

Where was he?

Because right now, nothing of surroundings resembled anything that he remembered. Looking down, there was black. Around him, black. Above him, black.

The only things that weren't black, was the strange man, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, sitting on a stone throne, which looked far worse for wear than it has for years. And beside him, laid the largest thing he had ever thought he'd seen before; a pitch-black dragon with grey eyes and a toothy smile.

 **"Well, who do we have here?"** The dragon hummed, raising his head slightly. **"Ah, you must be Nur Fate. A pleasure to meet you, milord."**

"Do I… know you?" He blinked, eyeing the two beings warily. There was something that put him off edge with these two, as if he was standing in a room with two extremely powerful creatures, and that he had to stay away from them. Don't do anything that may provoke them, and he would be safe.

Still, if the man wasn't menacing, the dragon surely is. It could breathe fire, splat him with one simple smack, and anything else that could result in him being dead.

"You don't need to worry, Nur. Or, would you rather us call you Nier?" The man questioned, possessing a friendly look. So far, they didn't show any hostility towards them.

"Nier. I'm still playing «Sword Art Online», so I'd use keep my in-game identity," the boy answered, relaxing slightly as he kept staring at the two beings. "Tell me. Where am I?"

"In our home," he said, simply. "Forgive us for summoning you here against your wishes. We merely wish to discuss with you about «Monado». You intend to activate it, do you not?"

"Yeah. But my friends and I don't know how to," he shook his head, pushing a bit of his black hair to the side. "Do you know how?"

 **"Of course, but there are some things that you must know about the sword if you are to use it,"** the dragon spoke once more. **"Do you know about the «Monado Arts»?"**

"Somewhat. A friend of mine, Lisbeth, talked about it when I asked her to take a look at the sword. Other than describing it to be heavy," which was honestly strange in his opinion, seeing that he could hold it without much trouble. "She said that it had its own special skills."

"You're right about that. And those skills are unique to only that weapon, so you will need to memorize each skill so to be used in the future," the man nodded, standing up. He was certainly tall. The throne just gave that sort of illusion.

"Okay, how many are there?" He placed the sword into the man's hand, trusting him.

 **"There are eight up to date, though until certain conditions, which are practically non-existent,"** the dragon chuckled, tilting is head a bit downwards to get a good look on the red sword. **"You can get ten. And again, I said the conditions are non-existent, so you'll only get eight."**

"I see. Effects?" The boy asked once more.

 **"Amongst them is the ability to deal a powerful blow to enemies, to strengthen the weapons of your party, and to create a barrier around your party to protect them from deathly blows,"** the dragon answered. **"Of course, I could answer the other five, but it would be better for you to discover them on your own, methinks."**

"Oh, fine…" The boy sighed, pouting a bit. It would certainly clear the suspense if he just revealed everything right now, but he supposed a bit of patience wouldn't hurt.

"And just a bit more… Done!" The man spoke with a satisfied grin, presenting the blade to its rightful owner. "All it needed was a few tinkering, so thank you for waiting."

"Really? That's it? I can use it from now on?" The boy asked, earning a nod. "Huh. Neat."

"All you need to do is will it to activate. The blade may not seem like any normal sword should, but know that it will work just as fine," his words were met with a hum from the boy. "A word of advice, if you will. I recommend you to try dual-wielding, if you'd like."

"Dual-wielding? Impossible. You'd need to be really good with both hands to do that," he scoffed, though the thought was interesting at best.

It certainly was an epic thing to do, he thought. The protagonists in movies that would dual-wield definitely looked cooler than others.

Still, one would need to have good reflexes for such a thing. Quick with their limbs, able to move use two weapons efficiently, and other things amongst those.

 **"Yet someone before you has,"** the dragon's words earned the young boy's attention. His human friend smiled back in response. **"Well, in another world, that is."**

"In another world, you say? And who do you mean?" There was no doubting the fact that he was very well interested, wanting to know more.

 **"Can't say, my boy. We promised that we would keep our mouths sealed. For the sake of privacy, that is,"** he chuckled.

"Well, there's an awful number of secrets you're keeping away from me," the boy sighed. "But fine. If you insist on keeping some things from me, I suppose I can bear with it. You at least helped me with «Monado», so thank you for that."

 **"It is of no problem,"** the dragon lowered its head a bit, imitating a curtsying motion.

"In any case, we should be returning you to your body soon. We only brought the materialisation of your soul here, just to avoid suspicion from your friends. None of them would be pleased to know that your whole body suddenly disappeared from the game, after all," the man chuckled.

*Click!*

With a snap of the fingers, a cobble arch appeared out of nowhere, with a strange, purply substance filling the gap of the archway. It smelt of smoke and dead things, but there was also the wind that blew out from it.

Taking the red blade from the man's hands, the boy made his way towards the portal.

"This… is safe to walk through, right?" He pointed at the portal, looking unsure.

"Don't worry so much about it. Just walk on right through and you'll be safe," he shrugged back with that easygoing smile of his. "We'll meet again if we have the chance to."

"Right. I'll see you," the boy waved to the two, disappearing into the portal.

* * *

Present Time

*Bzzz…*

"Eh?" The boy blinked, feeling reality hitting him like a baseball bat. Only then did he notice the fact that the sword had actually changed by appearance.

It hummed as a blue light protruded from between the single blade and the round chassis of the sword. A single kanji appeared from between the round gap, before it disappeared, filled with a sheet of blue light.

"Whoa, it actually worked!" Klein's voice pulled him out of his thought, as he stared at him for a while.

Strange. He felt himself struck with a sudden nausea, dissipating faster than he thought possible. It was as if he had been asleep for this whole time, suddenly woken up by a dream of him falling.

It was a strange sensation that had him wondering just what happened a moment ago, but nothing came to him. In the end, he decided to just forget it, and deal with the situation at hand.

"So this is how the sword actually looks like…" Argo blew a whistle, visibly surprised. She expected the sword to just do nothing, but something actually happened.

 **"Well I'll be. It did work,"** Tatl too was surprised. When her twin brother gave her an unamused look, she turned away, huffing. **"Not like I was expecting anything else!"**

 **"Sure…"** He drawled, not believing her in the slightest.

"In any case, since this sword works now, how about we take it for a spin? See just how well it goes," and everyone were quicker to say 'Yes' than remain silent.

* * *

Floor 28: Wolf Plains

*Ching!*

"And there goes the twelfth one so far," Lisbeth could hardly believe what she was seeing.

As far as she's seen, «Binary» was an incredibly powerful sword. In Nier's hands, he's practically cut down any enemy with just one or two swings. At the very most, he's only had to try a number of five times before the enemy goes down.

But «Monado» took the cake. Cutting down the weak enemies with just one slash.

The sword looked heavy, that was a given. But how he managed to swing so fast, hitting the enemies before they had a chance to attack was just questionable at best. No doubt, with this sword, their chances of winning just about anything had just increased dramatically.

Though, the topic of «Monado Arts» still raised more than curious looks from the others, since he still hasn't activated any of them.

"Hey Nier! Give us a demonstration of those arts thing Liz said the sword has!" Klein cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting out to the boy.

"Yeah, I'll try!" He hollered back, parrying a «Dire Wolf» before jumping back.

As Liz had just told him before the battle—yet a foggy reminder seemed to hung just at the top of his head, as if he's already heard this before—there were a total of eight arts. «Buster», «Enchant», «Shield», «Speed», «Purge», «Armour», «Cyclone» and «Eater», all with varying effects.

Wow, that's a lot.

Taking air into his system, making sure to keep his focus absolute, the boy chanted «Buster». In response to his will, the sheet of light in the middle of the circular gap, as well as the entirety of the plasma extension turned a bluish hue, with a kanji appearing in the gap. It read 'Buster', just as the art itself.

"Hraggh!" He held the sword in front of him, watching as the plasma blade extended into the air. Growing heavy, as if it were his cue, he swung it slight up before bringing it down, cutting into the wolves there.

The result was as expected of such a powerful weapon. The wolves were cut into nothing, dying there and then as their bodies underwent several convulsions, finally turning into simple lights and pixelated colours.

He would thought something less cool, but even he was wrong.

"Whoa, that was awesome!" Klein, ever the excitable person, gushed with such an amazed look. Like a kid who had just witnessed a magic trick.

"Gotta' say, Nier, you're looking pretty cool with that sword," the 'Rat' snickered, so happy that she caught up in time to watch her crush. And daresay, he was hot.

"Thanks. Though, I'm going to need to do a lot of practice with this. It's just my first time, after all," the boy wiped away the sweat on his forehead. Looking up, the skies were beginning to dilute with red, mixed in with swirls of dark blue. "Looks like night's rolling in. Come on, let's get back."

His friends nodded, joining him.

* * *

The Next Day

*Crash!*

"Seriously..?" The boy fought back the urge to just rub his face with his hand, but even then couldn't restrain his sigh.

"I'm sorry!" Silica bowed, deeply embarrassed that she made such a mistake.

"Never mind. At least we wouldn't have to pick up the pieces," and just as he said that, the tea cup that the 'Dragon Tamer' once held—and shattered—burst into pixels. "Agil, you got another?"

"Yeah, don't worry," the bald man grunted back.

"Good. Anyways, let's just forget whatever just happened," clearly indicating the shattered china from earlier. "And let's rest."

"And when will we be moving out? I've heard that the clearing guilds are planning to move on to the next floors next week," Argo spoke, with a cup of fresh brewed dark coffee in hand, looking comfortable.

"We'll be joining them by then. But before that, since you've pointed that part out, we'll be doing training," every responded with understanding nods.

Though they have been relaxing, none have wasted the precious seconds to just laze around and slack off. Training was still a constant, and they've reached levels around 75 by then. Nier remained seven levels above them, sitting on a throne of level 82. Man, is he strong.

By then, the boy would be able to defeat just about anything that comes his way, if he so wishes it.

The need to keep his levels higher than everyone else was important to him. He needed to be able to keep everyone calm. To let them know that, even if they fall, that he was there to pick them up and keep on fighting.

He may think himself doing too little, but the efforts in each of his work truly spoke otherwise.

Wishing everyone well, he watched as each member of the «Blank» move on with whatever they were going to do.

Lisbeth had a business to conduct, and Agil was officially helping alongside her, which was why he was leaving right now to go help her out. Rosalia and Silica didn't have much to do, so they usually busied themselves with whatever they could find. Yuna would be busy practicing her music, with Nautilus and Strea with her, and Asuna would probably spend some time with Yui. Sachi didn't have much to do, so she decided to help Argo with whatever she had, something the latter appreciated. Lux and Klein were probably going to take a nap in their rooms or something.

Which left… him. Not all that surprising, he thought. He did say that he was the lone player, and lone he was.

Still, the fear to be alone certainly remained implanted in his head, so when the day was over, everyone would come back, and he'd get to spend time with them yet again.

Sighing in relief at that simple reminder, he rested his chin on both hands, mind beginning to wander.

Argo still hasn't revealed what sort of boss they would be up against, since she didn't have the info yet. And when the time comes, he was more than excited to see just how good «Monado» would be. Of course, there was nothing that would make him stop using «Binary» and his sword, as those two weapons have been carrying him throughout the whole game for a very long time.

Well, it was a bit of a stretch for «Binary», but he does use swords. And from the very beginning, no less.

At first, he had half a mind to just sell it. Now, knowing its capabilities, there was nothing he would do to throw this strange sword away.

*Ting!*

"Hmm?" The boy was brought out of his thoughts when a message was sent to him. He tapped it, expecting it to be someone he knew—

Ahh, the hacker.

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _Is «Monado» useful?_

 _To: «Blank»'_

"Hmm, yeah," he nodded, answering vocally since he wouldn't be able to message this person back. They were talking to him from outside, so they might be able to hear him.

His thoughts were confirmed when a second message appeared.

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _I see. Good luck with your future battles._

 _To: «Blank»'_

And that was all there was to it, before the messages finally stopped, leaving a silence that reigned over the room.

Not that he didn't like it. It was just kinda' surprising for this person to suddenly be asking him about the weapon that he—Ahh, okay, now he could see a pattern.

The realisation dawned onto him as he smacked his hand against an open palm, finally understanding the whole story. «Binary», «Mechonis» and the «Monado» were all created by this hacker, both to test and to assist him.

Wait, what?

Creating such a difficult boss such as «Mechonis» would have meant the opposite of helping since it would have been able to kill just about everyone! But the fact stays that it did help them, as the experience points it dropped was more than enough to send their levels up by five levels.

And the weapons were certainly useful. Not unlike any that's existed or been crafted so far, they were going to help him immensely.

Nier sighed, realising just how much he owes this person. Though somewhat troubling that they've hacked into the game, yet been unable to manually log them all out by themselves, he's helped more than enough by now.

'Now… What about Yui?' That question actually came to him in a moment of uncertainty and curiosity. Deciding that it was better to ask this than keep it bottled up, he spoke out loud. "Do you know anything about Yui?"

Initially thinking that the hacker was going to just ignore them, or had already been away by the time he said that, another message popped up just then.

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _Who is this Yui?_

 _To: «Blank»'_

"One of our latest members," he answered, making sure that there weren't anyone else here. It would be troubling if they start thinking him to be talking with a ghost. "She's the little girl with black hair and white dress. I think you know her? She's currently with Asuna."

* * *

The people in the real world were somewhat surprised that Shiro, the little genius, managed to hack into the system and actually send him messages. This would certainly help in delivering information and conversation.

Still, none of them were at the Fate's home. They didn't know what was going on inside it. And right now, everyone that were in it couldn't help but shudder.

The elder Yuuki's thought it impossible for such a little girl, an innocent yet intellectual little thing, to actually be capable of emanating such a threatening aura. It felt as if, any little mistake, and she wouldn't mind doing something incredibly dangerous.

The elder Kirigaya's were utterly shocked, unable to believe what they were seeing. Had she ever acted this way? Her eyes narrowed, red slits on that beautiful, pale face of hers, fingers slightly twitching as they remained resting on the keyboard, and even her face showed slight dismay.

Suguha understood what that look was. She's read enough romance manga's and watched enough Korean drama to understand what she was seeing.

The little girl's parents, on the other hand, couldn't help but chuckle. Was her brother's charisma beginning to reach out to her?

Shiro was quite mad. She knew who this Yui was, but she didn't understand why she felt so angry all of a sudden. It wasn't like she held a grudge against the boy. In fact, she knew that many girls—Suguha included, even if she wasn't in the game to begin with—liked the boy, and she was okay with that.

So why Yui? What about her planted such a strong seed of distress in her? Not like she's done anything wrong to Nier.

In fact, as long as she's been with her brother, she's helped so much. As his «Saboteur», she's helped out in the battle against «Mechonis», which, admittedly, she actually created—only her parents, her parents' friends and her friend knew. As his friend, she's managed to help him out of sticky situations without even doing anything. And as a member of the «Blank», she's always kept the mood up.

She was a genius, but even she didn't know her own heart. How funny. Suguha said that he was the exact same.

"I think I understand what's going on here," Layla giggled behind her hand, with everyone's heads turning to her. Even Shiro couldn't help but look at her mother, wanting to understand as well. "You're jealous."

"What?" She blinked. No, that wasn't it. It wasn't like she liked her brother in a romantic way, unlike every other girl around him.

"You're jealous that he's treating Yui like a little sister, and he doesn't have the chance to treat you the same way since the both of you have never met before this," she clarified, with everyone else bursting into a collective 'Ohh!', the little girl herself part of it.

That made sense. She was his little sister, but because she wasn't there, he couldn't treat her that way. And some other girl was getting that treatment before she could.

That sounded right.

" _Umm… Are you still there?_ " Everyone perked up when they noticed that Nur had spoken once more.

Oh yeah, Shiro still didn't answer him.

"Go on, dear. He's still waiting for your response. And tell him everything that you know. If you don't, just tell him so," her mother urged her to go on.

"Okay," she nodded back, typing some stuff on the keyboard.

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _I know her. She's an A.I._

 _To: «Blank»'_

" _Did you create her? I mean, did you implement her into the game?_ " He asked. " _I know already that you were the one that placed Tatl and Tael into the game, but what about her?_ "

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _No, I did not. And no, I did not create Tatl and Tael, I merely found them in the game's files as a file extension, and forged them a physical body to be used in the game._

 _To: «Blank»'_

" _Huh? Really? That's strange… So you didn't create Yui, and Tatl and Tael existed in the game's files,_ " he hummed at the end of the sentence, pausing before speaking once more. " _Actually, they seem to be talking about memory loss. Amnesia, it seems. Do you know anything about their back story?_ "

"A backstory? For two A.I.'s? Well, isn't Kayaba diligent," Adam whistled, truly surprised that the man would go that far just to add a bit more to the story.

"No… I don't think he created them," she shook her head, earning questioning looks from everyone else. "If he did create them, he'd known that they're in the game. And yet, he didn't realise at all. There's some other explanation here."

"Really? Well, tell him that then," Shouzou tilted his head towards the screen.

The girl gave a nod, typing in her next message, stating that she was still unsure. The boy nodded, content with that answer.

" _Well, I better get going. I'm gonna' do a bit of training, so don't message me by then. Wouldn't want anyone to get suspicious,_ " the boy chuckled. " _Well, thanks._ "

People that sat in front of their televisions, or just watched from their devices on their hands, watched as the boy left the cabin, making his way towards the forest on this floor. Well, that was over now.

Shiro sighed, feeling as if there was a third party behind this game. On one part, there were the players, all of whom were trying to survive against the will of the game. And the other, was Kayaba Akihiko himself, who held the hammer of judgement, wanting to see how far the players would go for survival.

But this third force instilled enough worry in her, and everyone else.

She concluded that whoever they were, they were the ones to have created Tatl and Tael. And Yui, well, she was a big mystery. Maybe she was created by them as well?

"Oh yeah, girls," Minetaka called to the youngest two, who looked back at him, peeling their eyes away from the computer screen. "There's going to be a new 'VRMMORPG' game coming soon. Would you like me to buy you one?"

"Whoa, now, Minetaka. I'm not letting you spend your money for that game," Adam spoke, a sigh of relief from his wife. "If anything, I should be paying for my own daughter."

That sigh turning into a groan, which soon turned into a smile of amusement. No doubt the girls would be enthralled to play that game.

Sure. If they were playing right now, some others would be playing a game of death. But they didn't need to worry. Nur was there, and he was very well going to save them all.

* * *

Three Days Later

*Ching!*

"Guh..!" Rosalia gritted her teeth as she forced strength into her attack, yet failed to knock her opponent's spear back.

"Focus, Rosalia. You can't let your guard down, no matter what," Nier instructed, spinning his spear as it remained in contact with her own. This simple action knocked her weapon to the ground, before he aimed the end of it to her neck. "Remember," and he pulled it away after a bit more time. "People will be out for your head. You can't hope to be safe at a distance."

"R-Right. Forgive me for that," she bowed, thankful to get in on some training, yet still a bit embarrassed to know that she still had much to learn.

"Don't worry! You were still great!" Klein gave his shout of support from the side, with the redhead nodding in gratitude.

"Still, the way you fight seem to… Yeah, it makes sense, somewhat," he scratched his head. "It's hard to pinpoint a role for you, but you function well behind a wall. If there were two rows, you do better in the back row. So as such, you're to pair up with a «Sentinel» and attack from a distance."

"But what of Sachi? How does she fight?" The redhead asked, wondering about her fellow spear-user.

"She's slow, but she's steadily doing better. In fact, just the other day, I saw her fighting without a «Sentinel», so that's a good thing," he spoke, not noticing the blush on the girl's face, with Sachi sitting some distance away from the two. "She still maintains distance, but she's able to keep the combo as well. As such, I put her in the «Ravager» section."

"I see…" She hummed in thought, feeling that there was something for her to improve on. No way was she going to remain incapable of fending for herself for too long.

"And I recommend you to not use a shield, if you're going to use a spear that is," he looked back at the woman, the latter flinching at those eyes. Serious, yet so laid back at the same time. How does that even work? "You're of an AGI build, so using a shield's not going to help with your mobility. Somewhat, that is."

"Very well," she nodded once more, making her way to the side for her canteen of water. And a sandwich while she's at it. Everyone knew that both Asuna and Yuna were good chefs.

"Okay. Asuna, you're up," he called, and the strawberry-blonde was there not even a minute later. "You good to go?"

"Of course. Let me just…" She tapped a few buttons, and a new rapier appeared in hand. A silver one—as the previous ones always were—but with a strange design this time. It looked like a crown of wind, sort of, that encircled the guard. The hilt itself was a soft verdant, with a hint of white. "Well then, let's go."

"A new weapon? Let me guess. Liz?" She nodded back, eliciting a chuckle from the boy. "I'm not surprised. She tends to make cool things a bit too many times."

"H-Hey! I hope you're not implying what I think you're implying!" The girl shouted back from where she sat at, though there was a soft trace of pink on her cheeks. Just like her hair, except tuning more of a reddish hue.

"I'm just saying that you make cool stuff a lot, which on its own is cool, which in turn makes you cool. Understood?" He sighed, messaging his temples. Still, that little pain in his head turned into surprise when he caught notice of Asuna's look of amusement. Or, more accurately, a lack of it. "What?"

"Nothing," she shook her head, holding her rapier to the side. "Let's go."

"Got it," he nodded, bringing up his weapon.

And he knew that he has to out in his everything when it came to Asuna. She was a powerhouse, utilising speed and great reflexes to win against her opponents. He's going to have to be extremely careful against her.

Tossing the spear towards Agil, the man effortlessly caught it with one hand. Nier equipped himself with «Binary», readying himself.

"Okay, let's start. One," he began counting. "Two," he cracked his neck. "One!"

*Boom!*

Asuna crossed the distance between herself and her crush, not going to waste the time to let him get the first move. Leaping slightly into the air, she thrusted her rapier at him, missing him by a hair's length.

He was so close to getting hit. The only reason why she failed was because he managed to predict her move foremost.

"That's good, but you need to be quicker," even now he was criticising on her skills. How good he was.

"Hragh!" She flicked her rapier towards him, but he managed to avoid that yet again. Bringing up his sword, he parried her attack, ready to go in for a blow but she managed to avoid it at the very last second. By shifting her weight to one foot, she fell to one side, but regained her posture just as quickly.

He allowed «Binary» to slip from his grasp, returning it to his inventory before swapping it for «Monado». Activating it, taking the chance as she was momentarily taken aback by his weapon—he forgot to reveal it to everyone besides those that were there when he activated it for the first time, that is—he swept the field with the weapon.

The plasma blade caught her leg, knocking her to the ground. Hissing slightly, the rapier wielder distanced herself away from him, taking a ready stance once more.

Hefting the blade on his shoulder, deactivating it, he looked at her with a challenging look. Oh, he was _so_ going to get it.

Rushing into the fray once more, the girl let out a battle cry as she activated «Quadruple Pain», striking him four times. Even so, he managed to move his sword quickly enough to deflect each blow. Open for any attacks, he deactivated his weapon before thrusting it at her, the end of the blade slamming hard into her.

"Ghah..!" She felt her stomach contract roughly on itself, crushed by the weight of the blunt object, sent flying back before skidding against the ground.

"You can stop if you want, I wouldn't mind," he voiced out, just in case she was tired.

"No, I want to keep going…" She shook her head, standing up.

"Please. I'm worried, you know. Neither I, or anyone for that matter, would want to see a scar on that pretty face of yours," he scratched his head with a sigh, not realising that his words were that most often which used to flirt with girls.

And the effect was to be expected. Every other girl frowned, sad that they weren't at the receiving end of such words, and that their 'Vice Commander' was flushed in embarrassment.

And knowing very well that a vocal war may erupt between the females soon enough, his best friend was quick to changing the subject.

"Nier, we only saw you using «Buster» this whole time!" Klein shouted, he and everyone else still kept in the suspense. Seriously, why doesn't he just reveal all the arts already? "Use something else! Please..!"

"Sorry, sorry. I keep forgetting to," he chuckled, not at all embarrassed. "Okay, let's see… Hmm, most of these seem like defensive or supportive arts, so let's try these three. «Cyclone», «Purge» and «Eater»."

"Yeesh, wanting to go for the dangerous ones? Well, at least it's something new, so sure," the samurai shrugged, still wanting to see these new moves.

"Okay, I'm going to need a volunteer," the moment he said that, every girl there had almost instantly raised their hands. "Umm… Okay. Uhh, I'll take three people. Lisbeth, Strea and Asuna. The three of you seem to be able to take a lot of damage."

"Got it," the blacksmith nodded, though the smile she had was entirely unrestrained back. In fact, it will be fun to tease the other girls about this.

"Okay, let's see… Since Asuna's health is a bit down due to our fight," his face turned a bit apologetic as he looked at her. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's fine," she shook her head, just happy that he even apologised at all. Not that she would mind if he didn't at all.

"Okay. In any case, I'll need your help testing «Purge». Lisbeth, you're a mace-wielder, which gives you high defense, so I'll use «Eater» on you. And as for Strea, «Cyclone»," the girls giving their individual nods.

Standing into position was Lisbeth first, equipping her battle equipment. Just in case, as the boy always said.

"Okay, so let's see. «Eater», huh? Hopefully it doesn't mean I'm going to eat you or something. That would be horrendous," he shuddered at the thought, and the others couldn't help but feel the same. "Okay, let's do this. Liz, bring your guard up."

"Right," she pulled out her mace, bringing it up in a guard stance. Purple light enwrapped her for a moment, before it disappeared, a thin veil of pixels around her skin and armour.

This was a useful trait that every mace-wielder. With enough time guarding, they are able to erect a barrier around themselves, which added a high amount to their defensive stance, and basically denounced any hopes of knockback. And, fortunately, even if attacked, their combo streak would not break.

No kidding, it was the primary reason why he asked Agil to be their «Sentinel». This skill would undoubtedly help a lot, and they could make their most out of it.

With her protection strong, almost unbreakable, he aimed «Monado» at her, pointing it close to his ground. There was a short description for the «Monado Art», which described it to be a 'frontal cone', which meant that this was going to be a sweeping-motion attack.

Chanting «Eater», the light, which was once blue, suddenly glowed a menacing black. A kanjii appeared in the circular gap as always, reading 'Eater'.

Without wasting any more time, he took a swipe at Lisbeth.

*Shing!*

The black light cut at her, and just as the description had also added, she was affected with a 'Bleeding' status ailment.

"Well, isn't that a surprise?" She blinked. "I'm bleeding, huh? Well, certainly going to be annoying for our enemies."

"True. And from what it also said, it removes you of your status buffs," he added, watching the black light turn blue once more. "Next one. Oh, and get healed. Asuna, if you would."

"Coming," she nodded, half-jogging to him. "What does «Purge» do?"

"I don't know. Says that it's a 'ranged ether blast that inflicts 'Aura Seal' and nullifies 'Spike' effects', whatever those are," he shrugged. "Come on, let's see how this works."

She was unsure of the effects, but supposed it was fine. Not like he was going to hurt her on purpose.

Plus, she too was counted among the number of people who wanted to know how the «Monado Arts» were going to be like.

Again, his sword activated, the blade of light gleaming green in colour. He pulled it back, before drawing it in one swift motion.

An arc of energy burst forwards, travelling in a straight trajectory before colliding against the blocking strawberry-blonde. It cut away at her health by a bit, just as «Eater» had done to Liz, but this time, there was a different emblem that appeared beside her health bar. Two, in fact.

One had a picture of a what seemed to be a mob emanating a wave, an aura as the descriptions said, with a stroke over it. And the other had a spike picture, with a stroke over it as well.

So the move is intended for a debuffing effect, cancelling out two things that would probably be of importance to certain mobs.

But he still didn't know what was a 'Spike' effect, or an 'Aura'. These sounded like terms more commonly referred to in a game that revolved around magic. Sadly, however, this game didn't have magic.

All it had was swords, medieval towns, classic monsters, more swords, and zero magic.

"Well, that's a bummer. I was expecting something way more flashy," Argo blew a raspberry, with a nervous chuckle from Lux.

"Well, the last one certainly sounds interesting. «Cyclone»…" The boy hummed in thought. "All I can imagine is a tornado."

"Ooh, is there going to be a tornado! That sounds cool!" Yui chirped with excitement.

"I heard someone say tornado! There's going to be a tornado? I'm in!" Klein was jumping in his seat, far more childish than anyone else there.

"Please. For all we know, it might just be something completely unrelated to a tornado," the boy rolled his eyes. Though, this was far too amusing to hold back from smiling.

As always whenever it came to his friends.

"Well, it does have the name «Cyclone», so there's a high possibility that it might be it," Asuna shrugged, standing on everyone else's side.

"Really? Hmm… Okay. Agil, Klein, step in. Since you guys are the main «Sentinels» here, you guys are filling in for this experiment," he spoke, earning a look of disbelief from the samurai.

"Dude, I said I would love to see it. Not get blown away by it—Aargh!" His words were severely cut off as the titanic axe-wielder dragged him to the field by the arm.

"Stop whining and just do it, already," he groaned, not letting go in case he might make a break for the cabin.

After settling down once more, both ready and reluctant—in Klein's case—the two men steadied themselves, ready for the attack.

"Okay, here it comes," the boy let out a breath, before shouting. "«Monado: Cyclone»!"

In accordance to his order, the plasma blade extended outwards, purely white in colour, contrasting with the very red sword quite finely.

The boy felt gravity begin to lessen, and he himself soon lifted off the ground. Thrusting the sword into the air, directly upwards, wind began to pick up around him, before twisting around him violently, ripping little plants and dirt from the ground around him, tossing them everywhere.

And soon enough, he was in the eye of a storm, which howled demonically, threatening to tear through the fabric that made up this game. Everything around him shifted due to the powerful winds, fortunately leaving them unscathed.

"H-Holy cow..! That's strong!" Klein managed, trying not to get pulled into the violent storm himself. Hell, even Agil looked to be struggling just to maintain his position, even if he was supposedly heavy—though he would never say that to the man's face, lest he wants to get his own face done in.

The attack lasted for five more seconds, before the boy returned to the ground, slightly shaky.

"Man, was that something…" He blinked, trying to get his senses back in order.

"Certainly not to be looked down upon. I thought I was going to get pulled in," Agil admitted, sighing in relief that he didn't.

"Well, we can be sure that it will help us in battle someday," their monochromatic-haired leader and friend chuckled, putting the weapon into his inventory once more. "But the «Monado Arts» seem to have a timer. Can't overuse it without letting it charge up."

"Really? Well, how long does it typically take?" The samurai asked.

"Around ten seconds. Not a bad trade for such a cooldown," the boy gave a shrug, accepting the conditions of using these «Monado Arts», especially since it was extremely useful. No doubt, it would turn the tide of the battle extremely well. "Well then, everyone, let's keep on with our training. Come on."

Knowing that he wasn't going to let them sit back and do nothing but laze, everyone returned to their training.

* * *

Hours Later

"Itadakimasu!" Everyone spoke in unison, before beginning to dig in.

After everything had been settled, the guild returned back to their home, with both their 'Vice Commander' and songstress friend volunteering to make dinner for them all. It didn't take too long for the plates of food to soon enter the room, heavenly smells of meat and other things filling the room.

That was more than enough to whet everyone's appetites. And Nier could agree. What better way to end the day, after training with both Asuna's and Yuna's cooking?

"Mhmff… Thish issh sho ghood..!" Strea hummed as she played with the meat in her mouth, beaming brightly.

"Strea, please don't talk while you're eating," Nautilus sighed. "And chew with your mouth closed. You're going to get spit on everything."

She nodded back, doing everything as she was told.

"I must say, how long have the both of you been cooking? With just how good this tastes, it must have taken a long time," Rosalia commented, enjoying the food very much. And the meals cooked were in abundance, so there was plenty to take.

"Some time, yes. I just started because Asuna had done it a long time ago," the songstress admitted, though it was only half of the reason why she wanted to start cooking. In fact, it was more accurate that it was for Nier, if not anything else.

"And Nier? Can you cook?" The redhead asked next. Her leader gave a thoughtful look, as if thinking about the answer, before giving a bit of a shrug mixed in with a shake of the head.

"Somewhat. I mean, I only did it whenever I felt hungry. My 'Cooking' skill's somewhere on level 30, I think," he spoke, thinking about it. "Then again, I don't plan to maximizing it. We've got Asuna and Yuna to take care of that. And it helps since Asuna's already maxed out her 'Cooking' skill."

"Indeed," she nodded, smiling triumphantly at that. Her fellow female comrades couldn't help but gasp in awe, staring at her with a sense of amazement and jealousy. "I mean, I get to help out, so it's not at all troubling."

She certainly took pride in her cooking abilities.

And while Yuna was proving to become better, she was still a distance away from reaching her exact level.

"Yeah. So Asuna, I was thinking, why don't you want to start a restaurant? People would just love both you and your cooking," the boy suggested, earning a flustered look from his friend.

"W-Well, it's not like I'm d-doing this for just anyone. I mean, we're friends, and it would… and then… s-so, yeah…" She trailed off at the end of her statement, earning herself a raised eyebrow before it turned into a shrug.

"Well, your choice," he nodded in assent, knowing that it was her choice, so he shouldn't force her into something she wouldn't like. "And don't forget. Breakfast, lunch, brunch, tea time and dinner will be up to you to prepare. But if you're not feeling up to it, just tell me. Wouldn't want to run you ragged."

"Got it," both girls voiced out in gratitude. Even now he was looking out for them.

Dinner went on, with everyone talking to each other about a miscellany of things. It was relatively peaceful, with Argo spicing up the mood with sultry talks about their leader, with every woman there—even Yui got affected at one point—blushing dark crimson as they listened to her.

The male side couldn't help the groan, wondering how their friend could handle her. And yet, even he himself seemed to be able of tuning everything out, more focused on his plate of rice.

Wow, does he love his food.

T'was the way of which the «Blank» conducted himself at the dinner table.

Some more moments passed, and soon enough, all heads turned towards Silica, who had raised her hand to ask a question.

"Nier, what boss are we going to be fighting against?" She asked.

"Well, from what Argo's got just a few hours ago, during our training session earlier, and thank you for that," the auburn-haired girl gave a cheeky smile in return to her leader's words. "She said that we're up against a beast-like boss. Now, there isn't much to go off from, because it's different than the previous ones."

" _How_ different?" Agil asked in everyone's stead.

"It's like a «Blood Wolf», from what I've heard. Blood red in colour, covered in scales, powerful claws, and it's tail is like a club," she answered, with everyone giving looks of concerns.

"I've no doubt that this won't be a walk in the park. A «Blood Wolf» is already dangerous enough to face in a pack, so imagine going up against a gigantic version of it," their leader added after a moment, before another thoughtful look came to his face. "Actually, now that I'm thinking about it… Rosalia."

"Hmm? Yes?" She perked up at the mention of her name.

"I noticed during our training just moments ago that you seem to have difficulties with using a spear. The shield isn't helping you all that much as well, so I get the feeling that you're much better without it," he pointed out, the woman sighing in response.

"You're right. I'm far too used without it, so I'm a bit too weak with it," she nodded in agreement.

"And the posture of which you hold your weapon, as well as how you move in battle… Have you been using the sword before this?" There was a surprised expression on her features, and everyone couldn't help but look on, curious. "Bullseye? Yeah, don't be too surprised. I've noticed that you've been swinging your weapon much more than you thrust it, unlike Sachi."

"What?" The bluenette in question couldn't help but blink.

"You've been a swords-user before this, so you're far more used to swinging. With a spear, however, it's a necessity for you to poke at your enemy, rather than sweep," his analysis was immaculate, perfect. He was indeed correct. "So, I was thinking, do you want to—"

"With all due respect, Nier, I know you're trying to look out for me, and making sure I can fight perfectly fine. However, I wish to devote my time to the spear, as I've… I feel much more myself with it in my hands," it certainly sounded strange, her explanation. But he could understand what she meant.

When the players entered this world of data, swords and death, no one ever thought of using a bow, other than himself. In fact, most people thought the weapon to be severely lacking behind any other weapon, he wanted to use it because of several reasons.

From a tactical viewpoint, it gave him the ability to attack anything from a distance. And with enough practice, he was able to kill anything with just one shot. Now that, deserves him the title of 'Marksman'.

The other was far more simpler. It gave him a sense of individuality. People recognised him for his own special style of fighting, which included the sword and the bow. There wasn't much other people who actually fought that way.

Yes, Lux technically counts, but she only entered the picture because of him. Still, he wasn't going to let ego play its cards on him.

So knowing that Rosalia wanted to remain with the spear was fine.

"Okay, I understand. As long as you're comfortable with it, then fine," he nodded. "Just make sure that, in any case that you can't handle what comes at you, make sure to rely on all of us. We look out for each other, after all."

"Very well. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you," a grateful smile stretched over her face.

"Well then, with that out of the way," he stood up, with all eyes lingering on him. "I think it's time we turn in for the night. It's not like we have anything else to do, so let's just get some rest. We'll do some requests tomorrow, so all of you better be rested up."

They all gave their own voices of understanding, making sure to put their plates away. An exuberant Strea and a nervous Lux remained with Asuna to help her wash the dishes, and everyone else either turned into their individual rooms.

Before the boy managed to leave the house, Yui had called for him, with Tatl and Tael sitting on her head.

"Ne, Nier. Where are you going?" She asked.

"Just going to get some fresh air. Don't worry, I won't be away for too long," he chuckled, turning his attention to the fairies next. "Tatl, Tael, keep her company until then."

 **"You got it,"** the older sibling of the two gave a nod to her friend.

Returning the gesture with his own, the boy left their living quarters, making his way to the lake. It wasn't all that far, and no doubt, it was really relaxing.

At this time of the day, which was night really, everything was extremely peaceful. Serenity graced the world with her presence, allowing little critters to sing cricketing sounds and fireflies to paint the skies with little yellows. The trees themselves rustled with the moaning wind, dancing slightly to add a bit to the background.

The lake was beautiful. As the moonlight reflected off its surface, he could make out slight silhouettes of fish swimming in there. It would have been such a perfect time to go fishing, had he not been so focused on this moment.

This… When was the last time he's relaxed?

Ironically enough, they've been relaxing all this while.

But for once, he's actually had the chance to look at everything around him, and just… enjoy it. Whereas, before, he'd be returning home after some hard work in the forests, or somewhere else.

He sat down now, asking himself when he was going to go back into his cabin and just sleep.

But no doubt the time would not be now.

Right now, however, he wanted to relax. He wanted to take in everything.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" He said.

Even then, it wasn't aimed at just the open air. Someone stood just behind him, a smile drawn on the figure's expression.

Not very sneaky now, was he?


	14. Chapter 13

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 13: Let's Take Back Our Game'`

 _I don't quite understand, my good friend. Why is it that we return here again?_

 ** _To assist the boy. What other reason must there be? We always do tip our hands into the story to assist the 'Protagonists'. Surely, that's a good reason enough?_**

 _Not that I wish to see them die, Heavens no. They are far too deserving to fall to such fate. And yes, I am more than happy to help them. As our writer wills it, we shall defend them with our own lives, if it must._

 ** _And yet, I sense a sort of disagreement in you._**

 _Somewhat. I just worry a bit too much. Perks of being a human, remember?_

 ** _An extremely powerful one, at that. Do not forget that the power to create, manipulate and destroy is in your hands._**

 _As it is in yours as well._

 ** _Ah, touché._**

 _Well, I suppose we could wait and see. For now, let us humour this story's 'Protagonist'. We did say that we intend to help him, after all._

* * *

He had been able to warp here without a moment wasted. No sounds, no triggering of anything, nothing. In fact, it would have been plausible to say that he merely existed there, all of a sudden. That his body was there all of a sudden, with nothing to indicate his presence at all.

And yet, despite all that, the monochromatic-haired boy who went by the name 'Nur Fate' in the real world, and calling himself 'Nier' in this gaming world, was as sharp as ever.

Years of living in a world of books, gaming and knowledge, practically pushing himself over the limit without the need of being in danger had sharpened each and every of his senses beyond their normal capabilities.

Every little changes in him, in others, in the surroundings, he could feel it. Sense it. Hear it.

And such an instance was proven now, as he correctly identified the presence of this strange man, who had practically appeared out of nowhere, standing behind him, back against the bark of a tree.

"Nier, you are far too good at detecting others, even without upgrading your 'Detection' skill. How do you do it?" The man asked, chuckling.

"I'm just used to it. I'm always having to look out in case Argo, or even Yui as of late, pop out of nowhere and try to hug me from behind," the younger boy joked, gesturing to himself. "You, on the other hand, didn't even try to sneak up on me."

"Of course. I wouldn't want to scare you into doing something nasty towards me. It would be rather worrisome if I suddenly find an arrow lodged in my shoulder," the man returned the younger boy's laughter with his own. "Nonetheless, I came here to discuss something of utmost importance with you. Well, _we_ came here to discuss something with you."

"We, you say? Well, if it's important, I suppose I can come with you," he got up with a huff, patting away the dust from his pants. "Come now, let's get a move on."

"As you wish," the man gave a bow, before snapping his finger.

*Snap!*

A crack appeared in the ground, before growing to a size fit for a little girl. Why so, would one use such a phrase to describe it? In fact, he only thought so because the boy had momentarily thought of 'Alice in Wonderland' as he looked at this.

And, as if acting to his thoughts, the crack slowly closed up, until all that was left was a gaping hole in the earth. A sign appeared just beside it, with the words 'Rabbit Hole' on it.

"Huh. Don't tell me you read my mind or something," the boy spoke.

"I'm not sure," he chuckled, though the tone meant otherwise. "In any case, let's be off. And trust me, your legs won't break."

Giving a single nod, the boy took one lone peek inside. Extremely dark, with no ends. No matter. This was a door to some other place, so of course there would be an end.

With that thought in mind, he crouched slightly, before letting an 'Oof' leave his lips as he jumps down the rabbit hole.

* * *

In Another World, Untouched By Space and Time

*Thud!*

The boy landed on both feet, huffing slightly. True to the man's words, nothing felt broken. Heck, it didn't even hurt.

Looking around him, he was in a pitch black space, surrounded by floating debris. It would have been beautiful to look at, had he been more focused on looking at the massive dragon that rested somewhere a bit farther, much bigger than anything he's seen in his whole life.

 **"A pleasure to meet you, milord,"** the dragon made a slight bow with its head, his draconic lips curved slightly upwards at the tips.

"Uhh, right," the boy nodded back, unsure of what to think about this whole situation. This was definitely not what he had expected. "So, uhh, why am I here again? I forgot."

"To discuss of something quite important with you that would certainly be of much help to you in the future," the man from earlier had warped into this dimension once more, sitting on a cracking throne. "You do have the time, do you not?"

"I'm more worried about whether or not my friends are going to start freaking or not when they realise I'm nowhere to be found…" He returned the question with a sweat-drop, able to imagine the scene in his head.

"Worry not. As you are in our humble abode," the man gestured to the space. Though dark and incredibly not all that fancy, it was still home. "Time has been frozen so to avoid suspicion. No one will even notice that you were gone at all. In fact, it would have just been like… Like you had been there all that time, so to speak."

"Huh. Well, if you say so, I suppose," the boy sat down, not minding the dust on the ground.

 **"Please, milord, if you wish for a seat, you only need to say,"** the dragon chuckled, chanting some incoherent language, causing a chair to appear out of nowhere. Nier was lifted into the air, yelping out of surprise a bit, before being placed on the chair. **"Comfortable?"**

"Quite, yes. Thank you," the boy nodded.

 **"It is my pleasure,"** the dragon grinned.

"In any case, milord, I would like to ask you how the «Monado» feels in your hands all this while," the man asked, friendly as ever.

"Quite. Though I haven't the chance to use this against a boss just yet. It will certainly be fun," the boy chuckled. How would everyone else besides his guild react to him wielding such a weapon? Now that's something to think about.

 **"Hmm. If I may,"** the dragon got everyone else's attention. With a simple flick of his claws in the air, a tome appeared in the air, before it floated right onto Nier's lap. **"When you return to the game world, I recommend that you take a look at that book. It is a compilation of… what's to say, thoughts from another man before you."**

"Before me?" The boy blinked, not fully understanding what he just heard.

"Another lived here before you. But he was fated for absolute destruction. A pity, I must say, that his journey ended in a strange, unfitting way," a sigh from both the powerful beings was the only thing that ended the melancholic tension, now replaced with casualness as the man managed a simple smile yet again. "Never mind all that, I truly recommend you to take a look through it in your free time. It holds much information that will certainly help."

"Sure…" The topic of this being certainly was of interest, but he made due not to ask any further. Seemed pretty sensitive for these two. "So, now what?"

 **"We take you back. This was all there was that we truly wanted to tell you, to be honest, so forgive us for making it sound much longer,"** the dragon laughed, tearing a rift in space with one claw. **"You may go back through here."**

"Right," Nier got off the chair, making his way towards the rift. "Oh, and thanks again."

Both the powerful beings watched as the young gamer enter the rift, body disappearing into the shifting pixels of grey, white and black. Once he was fully gone, the rift closed up, empty as it once was before.

And that left the two beings alone once more, in each other's company.

"Not that we'd have it any other way, right?" The man chuckled.

 **"Of course. I'm more than happy to just be here with you, old friend,"** the dragon joined in the laughter. **"Besides, our duty is not done."**

"No kidding. We have much work to do," he voiced his assent as well.

* * *

"Huh?" For what felt the second time in his life, he felt himself jolt from something. Like a disconnection from this virtual reality, only returned into his digital avatar after what could have easily felt like hours. "Wait, what?"

Quickly snapping his head to the side, looking around him, he noticed nothing to be out of the ordinary. Grass was still green, albeit darker than their usual shade of green since it was nighttime, trees were standing just as rigid as ever, and the lake was a shimmering beauty as ever.

The world around him had not changed at all. And yet, he couldn't help but feel different.

He made quick dismissal to his suspicion of the supposedly world's change, instead directing his attention to the book that was sitting on his lap.

A thick tome with a slightly torn leather cover, without words to give a simple dictation of the contents of the book. The pages smelled like his home's storeroom, of collective dust and many other things.

Tilting his head in confusion, not remembering when he actually got this book, he made a move to turn it open, until a wary feeling took over him.

'A trap? No… Perhaps—Never mind. Might as well take a shot at it,' with a gulp, he took the cover and pulled, opening the tome.

And, without much to say, it was, practically…

It was…

Horrendous.

"What in the world?" Nier could feel his head starting to spin, trying to comprehend the messy strings of words and text littered everywhere on the book. Fully black inked words jotted everywhere, making it a challenge for anyone to comprehend it.

He had tilted his head every now and then, doing his best to make sense of the lines of words that were written from every angle.

Seriously though, even a kindergartner would have the logic to write his or her notes in a neatly way. Whoever this was, even if whatever was written certainly possessed a vocabulary better than most, clearly did not possess this sort of mindset.

"Still…" He hummed, thinking about the book. "Maybe something good is—"

While he would have loved to continue, the yawn that left his lips was more than enough to change his mind, and by muscle memory alone—in that short span of three seconds—he was in his cabin, in his room, sitting on his bed.

'Well, that was quick,' he was certainly impressed at just how good memory alone can help, especially with trivial things such as this.

"Oh, Nier? You're back?" Yui's voice resonated from outside his room. A moment later, the door to the room creaked open, and she was coming in, wearing the same white dress she now always wear to sleep. "How was the night?"

"Pretty nice. It's cold, but pleasant," he nodded, a tired smile on his face. "And you?"

 **"We've just been waiting for you. Not much to talk about anyways,"** Tatl appeared from behind the ravenette, her brother floating beside her. **"So you needed some time. What's up with that?"**

"Just wanted to clear my mind on things, really. In the end, it was more of me being tired, really," even his shrug seemed to say that. Tired.

 **"Well, get some rest. You've been training a bit too much, as far as I've seen,"** Tael gave his own words, before settling on a makeshift bed that was placed on Nier's armoire.

Ever since the two of them had made the decision to make residence in his room, he had built them a simple bed, composed of soft cotton he was able to harvest from some stray lambs—not from the religious perspective, but literally in the plains—and good wood he could get with help from Agil.

And, with not much time wasted, he managed to put together this simple bed, which was more than comfortable for them.

 **"Yeah. As much as I would love to disagree with my brother sometimes,"** there was a sigh from the black fairy, of which his sister couldn't help but respond with a snicker of her own. **"You need to watch out for yourself. Wouldn't do everyone well if you suddenly passed out in the midst of the battle."**

"Err, right. I'll make sure to do that," it was funny how she still gave words of advice, even if the situation wasn't all that serious in the first place. Muttering some last words of goodbyes to his little friend, he watched her fly up to the bed, joining her brother in sleep. "So Yui, a question."

"Yes?" She was sitting at the edge of the bed, legs dangling as she kicked the air.

"You're an A.I. Do you know anything about yourself?" As always, he wasn't going to pull his punches. Going straight for the kill, though blunt and painful at times, and unnecessarily intimidating, it was the best way to get down to the root of the situation.

And, even if it did pain him to see her frowning, he needed to be direct.

No matter how much it would suck.

The times clicked away, with silence playing its cards at the moment. Still, he never said that she couldn't take the time to think, so he was willing to give her exactly that if she needed it to collect her thoughts. They had a lot of time, and he didn't want to rush her.

And he was serious about that. If she wasn't ready to talk about this just yet, to speak of her identity, though however simple it was, considering this to be a personal matter… Then he would wait.

Days? Weeks? Months? Hell, years may pass and she may not be ready yet. But he'll wait. He wouldn't dare force her.

No wonder people loved him so much. But really, every man in the real world and in this one still wondered as to how he was surrounded by so many girls and still not realise their infatuation with him.

Just… _how_?

"…I don't know," she finally spoke, lacking any of her usual cheeriness, now replaced with a short amount of melancholy. Sad, was she, that it reached ever her eyes. "I just… One day, I was in the forest, and the next, I was just… I don't know anymore."

"So you're saying that you were in the forest one day, and your memories are only limited to just that? You don't remember anything besides that? Such as your origins?" His questions were met with a shake of the head from the little girl. "Hmm, I see. Oh well."

"What?" That last part had her surprised, this time. "You're not—"

"Disappointed? Oh, a bit, admittedly," he chuckled, somewhat abashed at saying that. "But I don't really see what's so important to push you if you don't know. You don't know, so I'd rather leave it there if it makes you comfortable."

"O-Oh," such a kind human, she thought. How could he not be mad with her, despite not getting the answers he wanted?

"Just promise me this. Whenever you finally get the answers to the puzzle pieces that you've lost in you, either you share this with me, or anyone that you feel comfortable with. You don't want to bottle it all up forever. Trust me, it's confusing to figure it all out on your own," his words of wisdom were eventually absorbed into her mind, and the sense of him being such a great mind could be debatable when he fell back onto the bed with a huge sigh of relief.

…Well, not really. He's still great even then.

"Hey," he called, patting the spot beside him. A second pillow on this pretty large bed for her. "Get some rest too."

Nodding silently, she joined him on the bed, pulling the comforters over her lithe body. Making contact with her so-soft pillow had her humming in delight, before turning her back to him. Thank goodness, Nier made these.

Oh? Didn't know? Surprisingly enough, Nier had taken to making these, rather than buy them from some odd marketplace. Not that he didn't trust them, mind you, he just wanted to see how good he was at making stuff.

On the armoire, there was no more sounds. The fairies have fallen asleep, apparently.

"How'd you know I was an A.I. to begin with?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"Tael was the one who actually found out first. Told me when I first met them both," he shrugged.

"O-Oh, okay," she quieted down right after.

"So tell me, Yui. How do you debuff the enemy?" Nier asked, mind dredging on that ever since she volunteered to become a «Saboteur».

"It's… like a mental command. I say something in my head, and it happens," she answered, somewhat vague but understandable. Must be a direct command to the system, perhaps? "Anyways, can you promise me something?"

"I don't mind," he nodded, looking at the ceiling.

"Please… don't tell anyone else about me. Not yet," there was a slight pleading tone to her voice, as if afraid. "I'm not ready…"

"Fine," his head bobbed up and down once more. "As I said, when you're ready. Wait, did I even say that? Actually, I… Hmm."

"Hihi, you're funny when you're not even trying," the girl giggled, smiling widely. He could feel the way the corners of his lips tugged upwards at that.

"That's better. Now let's get some sleep," he pulled the comforter tighter onto the both of them, settling comfortably on his spot. Right as he was ready to get some shut eye, he felt a soft tug on his sleeve. "Hmm?"

"S-Sorry. I, uhh… Have an itsy bitsy thing to ask…" She was speaking as her eyes looked away, nervous. The flush on her face was visible, but he wasn't sure what made her so flustered in the first place. "The girls told me something, and…"

"And?" An eyebrow raised.

"They said, that, maybe you're… like a big teddy bear," she wanted to scream, embarrassed beyond words. Why she was telling him this was so hard to understand.

"So you want to cuddle," he sighed, not understanding why she made this sound so hard.

In his opinion, it was just a way to show affection, was it not? If not, then there a multitude of other reasons why one should cuddle with someone else.

For one, it was a way to stay warm whenever the place was extremely cold. The close contact allowed two people to share their body heat, thus allowing them to stay resilient to the low temperature for an extended amount of time.

Another was that it helped with one's ability to fall asleep. It was plausible in this instance, since they were about to go to sleep, and she may have difficulties doing so. Promoting feelings of safety and security, which in turn lowers cortisol in oneself, and most importantly, boosts your relationship happiness.

It was no wonder he enjoyed sleeping with his parents back when he was a child. Maybe there wasn't a Boogeyman underneath their dresser—he didn't believe in the supernatural that much—but sleeping with the two of them helped him sleep more soundly.

It made sense in his mind, so why was she so afraid?

Worried that he would have said 'no' just because he thought it was weird? While most men would think so, Yui was like a little sister to him, so he had nothing to be worried about. In fact, they've been doing it since she's moved in.

Well, sleeping together, that is. She's kept her distance away from him in their sleep though.

"I don't mind. So here," he lifted his left arm, directly perpendicular from the bed, making a gesture to his side. "I'm not going to bite, you know. I'm not a dog."

"N-No! That's not, what…" She was still fidgeting on her spot, which made him sigh.

Without further ado, he took a sitting position and got both of his hands on her shoulders, which made her yelp. Still insistent on this, he dragged her towards him before laying down, not letting go of the squealing girl.

"Just relax," he let out a breath through his nostrils, shutting his eyes.

Though she remained stubborn, he didn't let go, no matter how much she tried to struggle—really, though, it was very easy. She didn't possess the strength that he did. Comparing her to anything wouldn't be fair, though, so he decided not to think about it.

A moment later, she finally piped down, panting in tire.

"See? You exhausted yourself from trying to run. Jeez, Yui, take a hint," he rolled his eyes. "Just go to sleep. If anyone walks in, I'll explain."

"T-T-That's worst!" The ravenette's face turned full scarlet at his words. He responded, in turn, with a scoff.

"Please, there's far worse things than being seen hugging a boy in bed at night, in your sleep. I'll just say that you didn't feel comfortable, so I did this," he laid his head on his pillow, closing his eyes. "Just go to sleep…"

And in not even a minute later, he was asleep.

Yui sweat-dropped. For such an amazing person, which she and everyone in the world could agree on, he was certainly good at sleeping.

Sighing, she decided to just give up, knowing that he was going to keep this ironclad hold over her without remorse. Even then, couldn't he at least lessen his hold on her?

As if reading her thoughts, he slightly loosened up with his embrace, giving her enough room to just twist and turn if need be, but not so she could get away.

Knowing there was nothing more she could do, she fell backwards, trying to get used to this new feeling. This feeling of going to sleep with a pair of arms around her.

But time was a medicine, and sooner than later, she found herself actually enjoying this.

It was instinct, really. She snuggled even closer to him, keeping her head at the crook of his neck, smiling warmly.

This was nice.

* * *

The Next Day

Sun rose to its throne, and dipped its light past the curtains of the 'Protagonist's' room, and accurately on the eyelids of the boy.

Unable to maintain the battle against the rays, ultimately forfeiting, he slowly peeked his eyes open, squinting to let his eyes adjust to the new brightness. Only after a minute or two was he able to get both eyes to open now.

He made a move to stand, until he noticed something was beside him. Looking down, he smiled.

'Yui,' still asleep, it seems, with her black hair splayed everywhere. Little sounds of her snoring, eyes shut, not yet ready to face the day. 'Well, can't stay like this forever. I've got things to do.'

And as such, he tried to manoeuvre over her, until he realised something.

The posture of which they were in was quite simple. With him lying down, she had her head on his neck, and her arms were genuinely wrapping over his body. It seemed that his arms had lost their grip over time.

But the true complication behind the situation was that she had adjusted her body so to maintain this posture, unable to be broken no how much effort he put into escaping. Trying to get out of it was equivalent to one trying to get out of a pitfall trap.

Well, this is what he got in the end, huh?

"You've got to be kidding me…" He grunted as he tried to move her arms away, but they were stubborn, refusing to bulge from their spot. "Ahh, man…"

 **"You seem to be in a pleasant mood,"** Tael appeared from his bed, laughing. **"My sister's still asleep."**

"I see. And, yes, while this is nice," the boy saw no reason to be nervous about admitting this. "I have work to do. _Outside_."

 **"Ahh… A problem there. Her hold looks pretty unbreakable, even from here,"** the fairy commented as he watched from the side.

"Yeah, no kidding," the boy sighed. "It's just, I don't want to wake her up. That would be rude."

 **"What? There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I don't think she would mind at all,"** the black fairy chuckled, sitting directly on the black and white hair of his friend, who didn't mind it at all. He didn't weigh more than a kilo, at best.

"Well, sure, but extra sleep is heaven, don't you understand?" He responded.

 **"Hmm… Let's take a few steps back. Where do you intend to go?"** His friend didn't specify his designated location, so that was the first question that went out of his mouth.

"Back to the first floor," he answered. "I'm meeting up with Sasha."

 **"The lady at the church? Don't tell me… you intend to flirt with her?"** He feigned a shocked expression, which wasn't taken heavily. All the response he got was a roll of the eyes.

"Please, she probably has someone else on her mind. And no doubt, romance is going to be the last thing she would ever prioritize, what with her duty to the children first," the boy waved off the matter, dispelling any initial—and utterly stupendous—thoughts. "Agil, Argo and I are planning to send some stuff to the Church. Food, clothes, anything."

 **"Haha. How kind can you be?"** The fairy chuckled. **"Even now, you're thinking about them, aren't you?"**

"It's not like the other players are going to do that. They're either too busy looking to the front lines or just trying to make a living," he sighed.

And he wasn't all that wrong.

The obvious division between the players was already so clear ever since he entered the game, since the very beginning. It was just that people were too focused on their own objectives to even care.

The first ones were those that had entirely given up on their hopes of seeing their families again. Instead, they turn to a live of solitude, making a living out of the floors here. They find a home, get a job, and try to live as best as they could. They were those that had given up.

The second ones were what he was amongst; those that wanted to chase freedom and free those below. 'Those below' referring to the players who weren't gifted in the sense of strength and wisdom, so they tasked themselves with risking their lives at the front lines, combating mobs and bosses to make it to the next floor, and ultimately reach the hundredth.

And the third one was the one he was most afraid of, and hated.

The ones who give up.

They lose their light, their will to fight or live. Instead, they take the easiest and most foolish path, to be free of all this pain.

He had seen quite a few jump off the boundaries of the town, and down into the infinite abyss.

Players nowadays were beginning to give up, but he wasn't planning to. He still had a duty, both to himself and everyone else. If he gave up now, then everything that he had done up until now would have been for naught.

If he didn't care about himself, then there were others that needed priority. They had a family to go back to, just as much as he did. If he would fail, then he would fail to ensure that everyone else be free.

So slow steps, Nier, slow steps. Keep the morale up in all the floors, for both young and old, and it'll motivate him to keep going forwards. A simple, yet effective equation.

 **"So, what will you be bringing down there?"** His friend asked once more.

"Mmm, food's not going to be too hard to get. We've already too much in our inventories, so parting with a few is going to barely do a dent on us," he began. "Argo already got enough to make clothes. Surprisingly enough, she's a good tailor."

 **"As good as that woman on the forty-eighth floor?"** He asked again.

"Oh, no, I highly doubt it. Ashley's already maxed out her tailoring skills, and Argo's only reached half. There's a big difference there," he smiled. "And that's it, I guess. Just looking out for them."

"I wanna'… Hwhooaa..!" Both player and fairy turned to the source of the voice, which came from the little black-haired A.I., who had just woken up.

"Morning," he greeted. "And you want to come?"

"Yes…" She made a very slow nod, still tired but wanting to go.

"Fine. Just make sure to get yourself equipped and ready," she reacted with a sleepy 'Yes', before dropping back on her pillow, scrubbing her eyes. "And you, Tael? Do you want to come with us?"

 **"I'm fine, thank you. As much as I would like to come with you, my sister needs someone to watch over her, just in case,"** the fairy shook his head.

"Alright. Then we'll see each other in a bit," he nodded.

* * *

Floor 1: Starting Town

Taking the 'Teleportation Gate', he blinked away the intense blue light that had swallowed both him and his friends, who stood at his back, carrying a number of items. He himself had quite the amount on him.

The attention from the people was somewhat pressuring, but not to the point that it couldn't be handled. But still, did they have to eye him like a peace of meat each time he passed their way?

He was wearing a simple white coat, with black outlining along the edges. There were slight gold detailing, an added curtesy from Ashley. The end of the coat diverged slightly into two parts, looking like tails. Underneath it was a simple white tee, knitted by the boy himself, with dark grey pants fancied with light greaves. On his left shoulder was a single shoulder guard, with vambraces around both arms.

It was definitely fancy, to put it simply. No matter how much he argued for a simple dress shirt and some random pants, the «Master Tailor»—as everyone had started calling her—wouldn't have it.

And now, he was the subject to almost everyone's attention, also on the receiving end of everyone's praise and cheers.

"Alright, everyone, the Church is… That way," Yui pointed to a direction, walking ahead as the older three trail behind her.

"Wow, this place changed," Argo noted, seeing banners of a man's face everywhere. He had wavy brownish-grey hair and brown eyes, complete with a blue trenchcoat and yellow buttons. Underneath his figure was the words 'Leader of The Army'.

"That must be Thinker. A kind fellow, I would say. And I'm definitely glad that he became leader of the «Aincrad Liberation Squad»," the boy pointed out.

"Why? Was there something wrong?" Yui turned, still walking backwards, looking at him with eyes of curiosity.

"The previous leader of the first group, «Aincrad Liberation Squad», was lead by a man named Kibaou. On the twenty-fifth floor, he had foolishly brought only forty men with him to the boss room. His actions ultimately lead to the deaths of more than half of the guild. Disappointed, they left for the first floor, conjoining with Thinker's «MMO Today», and became the «ALF» we know now," he gestured to the picture of the man.

"Well, don't you know the history of your fellow guilds?" His large friend chuckled, before his expression turned slightly serious. "But I feel you. The twenty-fifth floor was way harder than anything we expected. To think that he did all that… unbelievable."

"Thinker was too trusting of a man, allowing Kibaou to remain as the 'Sub-leader' of the group. Fortunately enough, with enough time, I managed to get Yulier, a friend of Thinker's, to get to that stage, and throw Kibaou off," he nodded in satisfaction.

"Wait, what did you do?" Agil stared at him.

"Let's just say… it's a secret," Argo piped in with a wink, earning a sigh from the gigantic man. "Don't worry, it's harmless. I was with him the whole time."

"Plus, all we did was slip a few things into his drink. Not like we killed him," the boy shrugged, and that got a wide-eyed look from his friends—besides Argo, that is. "Oh, don't worry. We just had a serious talking-to to change his mind. If I'm not wrong, he's put behind bars for now."

"Ahh… Okay," he certainly knew that his friend was a genius, but to question his methods would be a challenge all on its own.

"Ah! We're here!" Yui suddenly shouted, earning all their attention. She pointed in front of her, and all their gazes dropped on the beautiful church before them.

"Welp, let's get all these things delivered now, shall we?" Sparing a single glance to his friends, he was met with nods of assent.

* * *

"Nier-nii! Teach me how to fight!"  
"Onii-chan! Show us how you make a meatloaf!"  
"Ori wants to see you play the flute!"  
"D-Do not!"

"Guys, please, settle down. I'll do what you say, but one thing at a time," even if he was being swarmed by thirty children or so, there was no helping the fact that this was extremely fun, so he was laughing quite a bit.

"Man, the kids really like him. How the heck does that even happen?" Argo scratched his head, wondering.

"He's come here long before you and I joined his guild. And from what Klein and Yuna's said, he's done it even without them noticing him gone," Argo answered, looking on with amusement.

"The children really miss him when he goes. It's hard to keep their minds off of him, if nothing gets their attention," Sasha appeared from behind the mess hall, smiling kindly. "Also, thank you for all the things you've given us. They will be of much help in the future."

"Thank Nier. It was his idea in the first place," Agil raised a hand, ending any possible arguments.

"Well, if you say so," she chuckled, just in time to see the «Blank» activate his «Monado», doing a showcase for the children, who all gasped in awe and amazement at the sight of the weapon. "It's strange, really. Most people would find children bothersome to deal with."

"He said he understands how to deal with them because he's still one. The nerve…" The merchant was unable to laugh at the thought. How could such a genius and fighter as he still see himself no older than a teenager?

"Well, it makes sense, but is he really a child? How old is he?" The brunette asked.

"Nier's fifteen this year, just like me. His birthday's the ninth of April," Argo answered.

"Ooh! It's just around the corner then!" The youngest member of the «Blank» suddenly shouted, gaining everyone's attention. "Today's twenty-sixth March! His birthday's coming fourteen days from now then!"

"What? Really?!" A boy with a flimsy figure looked at his idol in surprise. "Then we've got to—"

"Celebrate it? Oh, no need to trouble yourself with that. It's far too much effort for just one person," he chuckled, more than happy not to.

"What are you talking about? Birthdays are important!" A little girl cried out, trying to reassure him. Even the other children seemed to share the same thought, nodding as she ended her words.

"If I'm not mistaken, Eiji's birthday's one day before yours. So we can do two birthdays in one single instance then, if it's too much trouble!" He didn't like the look in the 'Rat's' eyes. It was one that spelled out mischief and trouble.

"Well, that settles it. We're going out to fight three days from now. If we get out of here alive, let's make that our next objective," Agil crossed his arms, already agreeing with the auburn-haired girl. For as much as he was serious and calm at times, he could be quite a devil at times.

"Uurgh…" And of course, he was in the middle of everything.

* * *

Three Days Later—Floor 60: Eryth

They had arrived much too early, just as usual. No other guilds were here, so it made sense why it was pretty quiet.

The floor was composed of a sea-like theme, with floating islands connected together via small bridges. In the centre was the 'Teleportation Gate', connected to the other islands with bridges as well. The place was extremely beautiful, home to a multitude of plant life that could glow and move. Corals and mushrooms of all types seemed to have grown on the islands, with some of them being consumable. The sea itself was traversable even by body, but the sheer size of this entire floor would render it an incredibly difficult task.

But what interested everyone the most was the floating prison-like island in the air, somewhere north of the floor. There were large bird-like creatures that flew around it, as if guarding it from any trespassers.

The entrance to the boss room was to the east of the floor, located on a beach that joined up with mountains to create a platform of sorts. Once a player came here, they would have to take the bridge to get to another island.

"What is this floor called?" Nier asked, enthralled with the sights. It would be even prettier at night, no doubt.

"«Eryth»," Asuna answered for him, also looking on with amazement. She's seen pretty floors, but this place was something.

Their home was beautiful, but this was on a whole new level. No words could describe whatever they were looking at. The team behind «SAO» really put their all into making this, despite this being turned into a death game.

In fact, had none of this turned into the whole terrorist situation it is now, they would have spent the time enjoying the sights. But such a time would only come once they get out of this game.

"So Nier, planning to use «Monado» in this battle?" Asuna asked, just as hopeful as the others were.

"Ehh, sure, why not? I mean, I'm always using «Binary», so I may as well switch up my play style," the boy gave a shrug. "Plus, I've no doubt that everyone would be curious to see."

"Right! We've only seen you use it once during our training, after all," Silica pointed out, with everyone giving hums of agreement.

"Okay, okay. I'll use it in our battle against whatever's coming against us right after this," he sighed, knowing just how persistent the girls could be. 'Hold up. Am I forgetting something?'

He pondered on his sudden thought, trying to think up whatever the problem was. It then came to him; the book from yesterday.

Pulling it out, he wondered just what was so important about this book. Does it hold the secrets behind this game? An answer to their escape? A means of combating the enemies?

Heavens, no. All that was written here were a bunch of dreams from some strange person who regarded himself as 'Garden'. Whoever this was, he was certainly someone with an imaginative mind, talking about things that seemed impossible yet wondrous.

Maybe this person was constantly hit with a spark of inspiration at every turn? He'd make a good author if he so wanted to.

"Well, won't hurt to do a bit of reading in the meantime," he found a crate nearby to sit on, deciding to whittle the time away with a bit of studying—if he could call it studying.

And as such, he peeled the first page open, determined to make as much sense of this incoherent book, no matter what.

* * *

"Man, Nier's seriously going to read a book while we wait? Talk about diligence," Klein whistled, amazed with his young friend. "But that aside, where'd he got the book from?"

 **"Not sure. When Nier came back that night, he already had it with him,"** Tatl, if he had shoulders, would have shrugged. Too bad he didn't. **"Well, probably found it or bought it. His book in the end."**

"Well, let him read if he wishes. There's still plenty of time before the other guilds get here," Asuna nodded.

"And while he's reading, _we_ ," Argo sneaked up on the rapier-wielder, catching her by the shoulders, producing a loud yelp from the lass. "Will be taking our leave."

"W-Wait, what? Where are we—Argo!" She didn't even know what was happening anymore. Being dragged off somewhere, and Klein could very well see the gathering of all the girls in their guild, he couldn't help but worry.

"Certainly spells trouble with Argo around," Agil literally read the samurai's mind, coming up from behind him.

"Y-Yeah! You know that, whenever it comes to her, just about anything goes! Especially something incredibly horrible!" He was bobbing his head up and down quicker than a treadmill.

"Let it go, Klein. For all it's worth, they're not going to do anything against Nier's wishes," Nautilus showed up next, chuckling. "Think about it. If he asked them for so much of a favour, they'll take it like an order."

"Yeah. The loyalty they have towards him is both frightening and awe-inspiring," the large man, while never one to falter under such pressure, couldn't help but shudder.

Women. Scary things, they are.

"How does he do it..?" Klein cried, unable to understand just how good of a luck with the women his young friend has.

Such was the boy who was reading on the box, tuning everything out.

And, unbeknownst to him, two other things were happening.

* * *

Meanwhile

"So you're saying that we should just create a program to allow her to dive into the game, and fight alongside her brother?" Layla asked as she tilted her head, quite confused.

"Well, no doubt Shiro would love it. And we both know just how good she'll be in a matter of minutes," her husband laughed, drinking cold soda.

"Adam, I don't think it's possible. I mean, yes, she's managed to break through the firewall and directly manipulate the game, but it's not like she'll be able to dive into it. The system's set a limit to keep only ten thousand players in the game, and would dispose of any excess entries," she sighed.

It had been tested a few times, to be honest. That way, the players would get extra help so they could break out of the game much faster.

Even so, research had been slow, and progress even much more. They were making little to no understanding over the way the system functioned.

Never underestimate Kayaba Akihiko.

"Mama, papa," they turned to their young white-haired daughter, who was sitting in front of the television. "The girls are talking about nii."

"Hmm?" Curious about what his daughter just said, Adam took a closer look at what the «SAO Incident Victims Rescue Force» was broadcasting this time.

The group was established by Shouzou, Asuna's father, in hopes of helping the ten thousand players trapped in the virtual game. Volunteers pooled in from all around Japan, giving their full efforts to help out.

The players were brought to local hospitals, with Nur being in one himself. Each person was designated to a room with different types of sign over the rooms, indicating their quote unquote 'safety' levels.

Doors that had green tags attached to them housed the green players, those of whom were completely innocent. And the ones with a red tag was a sort of lockup for the self-deemed red players, murderers in the game.

Layla would be blunt, she absolutely hated PoH. To think that such a man such as himself had sprouted such a mindset in everyone's heads was absolutely unacceptable, no matter how much one tried to twist the fact.

So when the monitor for a red player suddenly beeped flat, she wasn't going to mourn for them. She would acknowledge their deaths, yes, but to Hell with them for all she cared.

The only people she ever puts on her mind was Nier and his guild. They were the most important people right now.

Truly, Shouzou had done so much to help both the victims and their families. They had the chance to visit them during hospital hours, and watch them with help from the broadcasting.

Speaking of broadcasting…

"Is that Asuna?" Adam spoke.

* * *

 ***PMD Explorers of Sky—Guildmaster Wigglytuff (Play Song)***

"Argo, what did you bring us all here for?" Silica asked, sitting on the ground, cross-legged with Pina on her lap. The little «Feathered Dragon» was snoring quietly, asleep.

"Oh, nothing really. Just for a short time of discussion of something… interesting," she snickered, not missing the wary looks she was receiving from everyone else. Understandable. "Girls, please. It's not anything serious. Like I said, what, or who we're about to talk about is definitely going to get your attention."

"Please, like there's anyone that'll—"  
"Nier."

Lisbeth had practically adored Nier at first glance, but not to the point where it overstepped purely respect. But every other girl who's got to spend the time with him certainly stayed silent all of a sudden, looking at the 'Rat' with eyes of surprise.

She was cackling, proud that she's caught them all in her trap.

"Argo, there is nothing to discuss about him," Asuna sighed, messaging her temples.

Not that she didn't like the claw-wielding assassin. She was just so mischievous, so full of surprises that it was hard to get a clear cut reading on her.

"Oh, but someone does," she shook her head as she crossed her arms. "Someone that's stayed the night with him."

"A-Ahh…" Yui averted her gaze to the ground, fidgeting on her spot with a small blush on her cheeks.

"What about it, Yui? What did the both of you do at night, hmm?" Her sly grin actually intensified the blush, and everyone else were watching with their own blushes slowly growing.

"W-We didn't do anything… We just slept together…" In the ears of many, it would be taken as a way of saying 'We had sex'. But to the girl, it was just that. "I shared the bed with him as always. N-Nothing more."

"Sure," she drawled, dangerous as ever. "You didn't, I don't know… Add a bit of spice to your night together?"

"Y-Yui… What did you do with him?" Lux asked, nervous about this. She was curious, yes, but she didn't want to push her too hard.

"I… hugged him..?" She said it so softly that it sounded like a squeak, but it reached the girls' ears perfectly well.

*Gasp!*

"No! Seriously?" Sachi was both amazed and jealous with the little girl. She herself had the chance to sleep so close with him, but never had she actually did something like that with him.

"I-I couldn't really sleep…" Unable to handle all the attention, the youngest member had her gaze focused on the ground, nervously shifting in her spot the entire time. Sure, anyone would probably like attention, but this was too much!

"So… Anything you noticed about him that time?" Argo herself would not deny the fact that she was flustered with what she heard, but she, if not able to handle such situations, would never earn herself the title 'The Rat'.

*Skraa..!*

Even Pina had woken up, taken apparent interest in this whole conversation. Her master, on the other hand, was looking on with slight embarrassment.

Not that anyone could blame her, of course. The previous air of professionalism had all but been thrown out of the metaphorical window the moment their conversation shifted to their perfect leader, who, still oblivious to their conversation, was busy reading that thick book of his.

Wait, he wasn't reading anymore. His eyebrows furrowed, attention at its highest. Was he translating a piece of text this time?

"H-He was kind. Very kind," Yui began, everyone beginning to look at her once again. "And very forceful when he wants to be."

"F-Forceful..?" Asuna actually felt her face grow even warmer at the younger girl's brief explanation.

"N-N-Not in whatever way you're thinking!" She squeaked, everyone still not believing her. "I-It's just… It's actually… I said I hugged him, but… it was… actually…"

He was forceful. She was trying to say something. Possibly that _her hugging him_ was actually not the case.

Ahh, so _that's_ it.

" _He_ hugged _you_?" Liz had a shocked expression, not believing her ears at all.

The conclusion was easy to come to when the keywords were offered to her, and the fact that the girl seemed to be looking away from the boy—it was hard not to notice this at all—then everything made sense.

"Hold on here a moment. You said so earlier that you were the one who engaged him first, but now you're saying that he was the one who started it?" Rosalia, at this point, was more confused than anything. Yes, all the girl talk had made her feel awkward at first, but right now she just wanted the answers more than anything else.

"W-Well… He was the one who started it, because I wanted to, but didn't…" She shyly answered, not daring to meet anyone else's gaze.

"I think I can see the big picture here…" Their 'Vice Commander' sighed, wondering how such a cute topic got so confusing so fast, until all was cleared with help from their red-headed friend. "So he forced you to hug him, just because you didn't want to?"

"Y-Yeah," she nodded, with sighs being shot from here and there.

Still, it didn't mean that they were fine with the knowledge. In fact, all of them were jealous of the young girl, but knew her intentions were pure, unlike any of them. Argo especially was dangerous.

All of them were now unsure of what to talk about anymore. The only topic that certainly got all of them interested was their leader, who was at the last pages of the tome, close to reaching the finish line.

"So, what do we do now?" Liz asked, with everyone looking up to the sky, as if the answer was there.

Ahh, young love.

 ***PMD Explorers of Sky—Guildmaster Wigglytuff (End Song)***

* * *

An Hour Later

Soon enough, the guilds pooled in, and the space of the entrance to the boss room was almost cramped. Taking this into account, Nier and his guild decided to wait it out at an island, and he was surprised by the sheer amount of people there were.

And by who appeared.

"Klein!" A masculine voice called out to his teammate, and the next thing he knew, the samurai was hugging some bearded man.

And then more men came, pulling the samurai into a huge, manly embrace.

Wait a minute.

 _'It's cool. My friends should be fine without me. I mean, they're strong, and I've no doubt that they're going to be alright!'_

The people he was now talking to, laughing with… They must have been his friends.

'Good to know that they're still alive,' the black and white-haired boy smiled, watching as Klein get smacked multiple times by the head, much to his amusement.

«Fuurinkazan», the guild of which Klein was supposed to be leader to, until he decided to join Nier on the very first day. It was funny, how they, despite their quaint—or odd, for a better lack of a word—differences, could come together. And no doubt, the one who took 'weirdest' by the cake is definitely their supposed leader, Klein.

The members were Dale, the big guy, Dymamm, a pirate-looking fighter, Harry One, who looked more than ready for winter, Issin the skinny guy, and Kunimittz, who had a green cloth over his chest.

'Move as swift as wind, [be] as orderly as [the] forest, [be] as fierce as [the] fire, [and be] as unshakeable as [the] mountain,' just as Sun Tzu's quote from the 'Art of War'.

"Impressively done," he chuckled, happy that they haven't forgotten their history lessons just yet. His attention then shifted to Heathcliff, ever present in his red and white battle regalia, blade and shield at the ready. 'Now then, let's get this battle on the way.'

Time went on, and soon enough, all the guilds were present, ready to make their next move. Heathcliff stood at the front of the entrance, delivering a powerful speech about freedom, motivating the players to win this next battle, for their sakes and for everyone else's.

Nier smiled, knowing that it would be right to place their faith in the «Unbeatable». He was a natural leader, able to rally up anyone in just a matter of seconds. The fact still stood strong, that the «Knights of Blood» became the strongest guild—though there have been debates about whether that or the «Blank» was better—there is in «SAO».

Then he wondered. Just how good was he? People have constantly spread the rumours that his health had never traveled further down than half. That had him curious. Was his «Special Skill» just that invincible? If so, then Kayaba had nothing against them.

"As such, let us defeat this boss, and make our way to the hundredth floor, together!" The man shouted, with everyone letting their own battle cries fill the area as well.

"Okay, «Blank». Let's do this," Nier made his way to the entrance, his guild following right behind him. 'Time we show this world who's at the top of the food chain.'

Once there, the great knight pushed open the gigantic doors, revealing a large space made up of red walls and ground. It almost resembled a cave, had there been the absence of stalactites and other cave-related things.

They stepped inside, all holding swords and shields and whatever they weld.

Nier activated «Libra», scanning the room. There was no sign of the boss in sight, so this meant that it hadn't been spawned yet.

And then something caught his attention.

'Footprints..?' He noticed the faint outlining of what was clearly footsteps, trailing from the centre of the room to the wall. There was nothing there. 'Don't tell me it could warp or something.'

That would certainly be too much trouble.

"Tatl, Tael…" He whispered, making sure no one else heard him. The fairies didn't want their existence to be known by the other players. "Where is it..?"

 **"We're not sure…"** Tatl sighed, making sure to remain concealed as she looked around. **"Man… I'm the best navigator, not an animal searcher..!"**

It was true. This whole time, they had relied on the white fairy's help, rather than placing their faith on their in-game map. And, surprisingly enough, she managed to give them even better directions than they would have with the map.

As such, they had delegated her to navigating for the guild, which she herself was appreciative of.

Tael, on the other hand, was a dependable source of information, possessing bountiful amounts of knowledge. He had helped solve just about any problem, and came to take over the commands and roles delegations whenever Nier was just too focused on the enemy.

The two were extremely helpful, and Nier was indeed thankful that he had brought them along. With shelter, food and protection, they in turn gave the assistance they were able to provide.

"Nier," Asuna was at his side now, a look of uncertainty on her face. "Do you think the boss got killed..?"

"Doubt it. If so, then all of would have been notified as such," he shook his head. "No. It's here, but we just don't see it."

"How can you tell?" She asked.

"It's a… gut feeling, call it what you will," he shrugged, stopping short. "Wait…"

He tuned out everything. Shut away his thoughts, the breathings, the heart beat of his, and applied all his senses to focus on his surroundings. To detect even the most minute changes in sounds, movements and other things.

He could feel the earth rattle. Focus even more and he could hear the distant breaths of a monster. If he intensified his focus even more, he would feel its piercing gaze on him.

And soon enough, the beast entered the fray.

"Get back!" He was quick enough to push his friend to the side—

*Shing!*

"Ghuh..!" Nier felt a powerful set of claws rip into his newly-forged armour—curtesy of Lisbeth—tossing him back into the wall, the blow more than enough to cut down a piece of his health bar.

*Rrhaa!*

 ***God Eater—A Shadow Covering the Town (Play Song)***

"Well, how do you do..?" The boy got up, hand clenching «Binary».

The beast before him was ginormous. It wasn't a typical «Blood Wolf», nor was it a leader of the pack, but much more ferocious in build and strength, with two rows of claws stacked up on each other, with a blood-red scaled body. The tail was indeed stacked with multiple layers of hard skin,

The name «Odogaron, The Fanged Wyvern» rested on four health bars.

*Rghaa!*

"Crud!" Not wasting the time, he leapt to the side, making his way to the rest of the group.

"All men! Charge the beast!" Heathcliff shouted, with the players from both his guild and everyone else rushing into the fray, brandishing weapons, screaming their determination and ready to slay the beast.

"Nier, what's our plan?" Klein asked, readying his trusty katana.

"That thing's fast, and hits hard. We need to focus heavily on defense," the boy panted, equipping himself with «Monado». "Asuna, Klein, you guys are with me. Yui, Yuna, go with «Tide Turner». Shift to «Sap and Salve» when the situation calls for it."

"Understood!" Yuna nodded in understanding.

"Everyone, to a team of three and take a «Delta Attack» approach. Retreat when injured, return to the battle when you're good to go," everyone nodded at him. "Good. Let's go!"

* * *

"Dear Lord…" Minetaka was no expert in video games, but he was sure that there should have been a limit as to how strong you could make the monsters, especially since this one placed the players' lives on the line.

"They'll make it. Don't worry so much," Adam reassured his friend, but even he couldn't stop the dread from settling inside of him.

This battle was certainly in the boss's favour. Gifted with such speed, allowing it to leap left and right, and with power being its ultimate boon, there was little to no chance for the players to get out of here alive.

Suguha watched in full attention, silently hoping for her idol to win.

Shiro made a quiet prayer to her brother, watching him from their room.

'Nii will win,' she told herself.

* * *

*Shing!*

"All shield-wielders, swap with your allies to allow them the chance to attack. Do not stay in position for too long!" Nier yelled, activating a «Monado Art». "«Monado: Shield»!"

*Khh!*

A wave of yellow light swept across the battlefield, wrapping the players with a warm sensation. The beast lunged at them, slamming its clenched fist into them, tearing their healths down to one far too quickly.

This battle was too difficult, judging by how powerful «Odogaron» was. Too unfair that he was thankful «Monado: Shield» acted in a way to prevent players from being killed immediately by a deadly attack, such as the current situation.

Despite their high levels, the beast was basically toying with them. They hadn't even sent the first health bar to a quarter yet!

"«Monado: Speed»!" He shouted, casting green light over himself. "Klein, Asuna! Switch to «Aggression»!"

He made a beeline for the creature, leaping into the air before cutting away at its flesh, producing a realistic sound of tearing. The creature howled, failing to slam its club-like tail into the boy. With «Speed» activated, it purposed to increase his physical agility, allowing him for faster strikes and better chances of evasion.

Nier let loose a battle cry as he brought the sword down in an arc, the plasma blade cutting into the creature once more. He saw its eye gleam red, and, at the perfect timing, he drew the blade and struck against its claw attack, parrying it.

He jumped back, allowing Klein and Asuna to enact their «Sword Skills» upon the creature, bringing its health down to the third bar.

"Heathcliff, you're up!" He shouted, putting some distance away from the creature.

"With pleasure!" The older man responded, charging the beast with any other capable men.

"«Monado: Shield»!" He activated the «Monado Art» once more, ensuring that no one was going to die today. Not on his watch. "Everyone, don't hold back! We need to provide support and keep the combo going!"

"Wasn't planning on running away!" Agil snorted, rushing forwards. The rest of the «Blank» followed suite.

The players didn't give the creature the chance to run, instead putting holes and wedges in its body as much as they could, making sure to block and dodge its powerful attacks.

Agil and Klein brought down their weapons in perfect harmony, slamming the creature's jaws down to the ground as the samurai drew his blade, cutting straight into its torso. The being groaned in pain, jumping back before lashing out at the men.

*Shing!*

"Crud..!" The maroon-haired man was sent flying back, skidding against the ground. He made a move to get up, until his comrade fell onto him, literally. "Gah..! G-Get off me..!"

"Not my fault that thing's powerful… And that club tail thing is a hell of a b*tch..!" Agil cursed, struggling to his feet.

The beast saw the two of them downed and was more than ready to strike them once more, until a group of «Knights of Blood» members blocked its advances, earning a tear through their ranks from it.

"Nautilus, Strea, Lux, defend those two!" Nier commanded, with the group of three making their way to the two downed warriors. "Rosalia, Lisbeth, Silica, I'm getting you an opening. Use whatever you've got!"

"R-Right!" Lisbeth hollered from her spot, not daring to get close to the beast.

"Hrhah!" Jumping at «Odogaron», he slammed all the weight of the blade against the creature, activating the plasma blade to deal an uppercut. When it made a move to strike him, he slashed at it again, successfully parrying it. "Go!"

With shouts of determination, the three girls activated their own «Sword Skills», breaking past the beast's defense and cutting it down even more. Rosalia's spear moved in spiral blurs, Pina was spewing bubble fire—that was how it looked like to him—and Lisbeth dealt repeated blows to its body and head.

*Chsh!* *Grhaa!*

Heathcliff had swung his sword at the beast, carving its flesh with the sharp end of his blade. With a huff, he followed it up with a concussion-inducing blow to the skull with his massive kite shield, knocking it backwards.

"Damn it…" Klein stood back up, feeling energy restored into him. Looking back, it was Yuna, who seemed to have been doing the healing with her voice. "Thanks!"

"It's fine!" She gave a thumbs-up, before switching to her role as a «Synergist», giving buffs to everyone there. "Yui, keep up the debuffs, alright?"

"Got it!" The little girl nodded back, activating mental commands to weaken the creature's physical attack and defense.

"I need an opening!" Nier shouted, parrying an attack before jumping backwards, away from «Odogaron's» jaws before it could crunch down on him, leaping to the side at the last second to avoid another painful strike.

"And we'll get it for you!" Asuna was quick to make her way to the beast, backed up by Lux and Strea. "Girls, don't let up!"

"Got it!" They smiled back, blade and rapier ready for the kill.

Nier watched as the strawberry-blonde zipped past the creature, activating «Linear» in the process, cutting directly past it and a bit of its health. Strea jumped in between the both of them, parrying the creature's swing of the claws before striking hard at its jaws. Lux had leapt into the air, before rocketing down towards the creature. «Aero Penetrator» was both useful as a means of evading as it was for the offensive.

The girls parried the beast's slam of the claws, keeping it immobilised with help from the motion-delay of the game's system.

'Now!' With a mental command, the plasma blade shone bluer than the sea, extending to the point that the tip almost touched the ceiling. Lifting it up over his head, he brought it down with a loud shout, felling the creature with one powerful strike.

*Hrhaa..!*

«Monado: Buster» was a powerful attack, being the single-hit skill that possessed the strength of a typical ten-hit combo skill. And it proved its worth well, erasing the entirety of what remained of the third health bar, leaving it on its last legs now.

«Odogaron», not contempt with losing the fight, allowed one hungry growl to fill the room, paining everyone's eardrums.

 **'WARNING'**

Oh, that was _not_ good.

And true as the message said, regular «Blood Wolves» starting filling up the room, with no ends to their numbers.

As if motivated by the appearance of its fellow mobs, «Odogaron» allowed a powerful howl to leave its lips, before it started charging random players, knocking them everywhere like rag dolls. Its movements were suddenly much faster now, its strength having increased by a large amount and erasing their health bars quicker than possible. Damn, this was not getting any easier.

"Everyone, keep the monsters off of us! Klein, Agil, defend Yui and Yuna! Asuna, with me!" The «Blank» were quick to their positions.

"You ready?" She asked with a smile.

"As ever I can be," he gave a thumbs-up. "Let's go."

"Right," she nodded back.

"Excuse me," a voice spoke up to them from behind, walking to their side. "Ahh, alright then."

"PoH?" The boy was temporarily fazed, but the surprised expression never left him. Now, he was just confused. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"What? I can't join your little raiding party? Pfft, I'm a player too, you know," he sniggered, ignoring his stupefied look. "Let's give em' hell."

"Leader of the «Laughing Coffin». What are you doing here?" Heathcliff walked to the three, a serious look aimed at the murderer. His guild members were busy combatting the boss and its subordinates, which didn't stop spawning into the room.

"What? I've got a little bud here, and just wanted to pay him a visit," to get his message across, he gave Nier a one-armed hug.

"As far as I'm concerned, I don't think you and I are 'buds'," the boy deadpanned. "Our relationship leans more towards acquaintances."

"Hah. They were right. You've got quite the poisonous tongue too, apparently," the man laughed. "Cheer up. I'm actually here to help. Heck, if you want, I'll even show my face."

Before anyone had the chance to say anything about the matter, he pulled back the hood, revealing a surprisingly dashing face, with wavy black hair and a small tattoo on his right brow. His eyes were grey, and it looked as if he had stared death in the eye a lot. He wasn't afraid, he was thirsting for blood.

"There. Happy? Now, whenever I get into trouble, you can at least remember my handsome look," he gloated the last part, unashamed.

"Yeah. A handsome murderer. How great is that," the boy rolled his eyes, stopping himself short from commenting on it any further when he noticed—

*Ching!*

"Liz!" Silica had been downed, a large gash on her knee that debuffed her with «Bleeding», as well as rendering her immobile for the moment. The blacksmith, taking responsibility, was trying to defend her while she heals, but the boss wasn't going to make it any easier.

"D-Damn it! Could really use some help over here!" She shouted to her left, seeing Rosalia pierce three wolves with her spears, still engaging a large group of beastly mobs.

"I'm a little busy over here too!" She yelled back, sneering as she cut wolf after wolf. These guys were persistent, she'll give them that.

"Oh, come on!" The pink-haired warrior was ready to strike the beast with her mace, until it had knocked her to the side with a hefty swing of its tail, slamming her to the ground. "Ghuh..!"

"Oh, crud!" Adrenaline pumping in his veins once more, he made a break for the downed girls. "Silica! Lisbeth! Hang on!"

"W-Wha, huh..?" She looked on, unsure of what just happened, until the hot breath of something blew into her face. Staring up, she gulped, feeling the colour drain from her face.

The red scales that were close to touching her face, that ferocious glare.

*RHhraAHA!*

The powerful shriek it sent, directly at her, would have broken her earbuds had its voice already been damaged already, due to all the attacks it received previously.

"L-Lisbeth!" Silica was still injured, and still far away from her friend. Her final resort, she told herself, she flicked the dagger she had in between her fingers before flinging it at the beast.

*Ching!*

The creature backhanded the steel weapon, now staring directly at the thirteen-year-old, who was now more than ready to scream for help.

With a snarl, it leapt forwards, jaws wide open for the kill.

*Bam!*

"Leave them alone!" Nier shouted as he struck the beast with his «Monado», _hard_. Directly against its torso, spit flew from «Odogaron's» mouth as the blow forced its insides to wreath painfully against one another. He activated the blade, cutting against its face before willing power into his leg, activating a «Martial Skill» and kicked it in the torso, sending it backwards by a bit.

"N-Nier…" Silica looked on with awe.

"You don't even think about trying to kill my friends, mutt!" The boy snarled, unafraid. "You looking for anyone, he's right in front of you!"

*Grrh...*

The scaled 'Boss', as if accepting his challenge, pawed the earth before breaking into a charge at him, extremely quick. Sensing an incoming attack, he easily backhanded its claw, cleaving into its limb before he tore its guttural area with his sword, activating «Eater» before swiping at the beast.

An emblem of skin being torn, with liquid oozing out of it meant that it was successfully debuffed with «Bleeding».

He leapt into the air, cutting it with his blade once more. Bringing up his sword to block its swipe, he boosted himself with «Speed», sidestepping each of its next consecutive attacks.

With a furious shout, deactivating his weapon, he thrusted the tip of the blade directly into the creature's skull, before another powerful blow connected to the same spot, sending it flying backwards. He gave a short thanks to Heathcliff, rushing to the girls' aides.

"You girls alright?" He asked, kneeling.

"Y-Yeah, but Silica's got «Bleeding» on her…" The blacksmith panted.

"Great… Okay, hold on tight," they looked at him as to what he meant, but the answer came quickly enough.

"W-What?!"  
"H-Hey!"

In one swift instance, quicker than even two seconds, he had a blushing Lisbeth wrapped around him in a piggy-back and a sputtering Silica in his arms, in a 'princess carry', before he set off towards Yuna and Yui's location, close to the entrance of the boss room, avoiding danger at every step.

With «Speed», it didn't take too long for him to reach the entrance, much less so unscathed. Setting both the girls down, taking into notice their flushed faces, he turned to Yuna, who was… pouting?

"I need them both healed. Stop the «Bleeding» effect if possible," he told them, before activating «Speed» on himself once more, rushing towards «Odogaron». He spared one last glance at them, saying a few more words before running off. "Stay safe, girls."

Crossing the distance between both him and the boss, he was met with a little resistance that came in the form of its subordinates, all of which defended their alpha leader with as much vigour as they possessed in them.

Hacking away at each «Blood Wolf» in his way, a path behind him was cleared. He didn't waste the time to look behind him, instead focusing on the boss.

Looking to what was keeping it occupied, he saw Asuna teaming up with the leader of the «Knights of Blood» and «Laughing Coffin» respectively.

He spent half a minute at best to put together a solid plan in taking this boss down. And sooner than later, he had a tactic already.

But just as he was about to call out to them, a «Blood Wolf» had lunged at him, timing its strike well. Quickly, he parried the beast.

But then, the leader had seen its subordinate under attack, and, acting as such, averted its attention to him this time, rushing towards him.

Stuck between parrying the wolf, his own motion delayed slightly, he was unable to even escape, let alone activate «Monado: Speed» to avoid a crippling fate. That left him open to the attack, which struck him hard.

*Bam!*

"Hhakh..!" He felt a pair of claws rip into him, before what felt like sharpened daggers bit down on him from both sides, tossing him to one side.

Getting up quickly, the boss of this floor did not relent, and assaulted him the best of which its remaining energy allowed it, cutting his health down faster than his natural «Battle Heal» skill could heal him. Bringing up his still deactivated sword to block the oncoming attacks, he finally stumbled after the seventh strike from its tail.

"Nier!" Asuna actually felt her blood run cold, and in a moment of hesitation, she jumped into the fray, intent on saving her friend.

*Clank!*

Sensing impending danger, the creature smacked her away, watching as the girl make contact with the opposite wall.

"Hkh..!" She grunted as the pain jolted in her body, before she fell back down. Her health wasn't all that bad, but she worried about the boy too much to even think about herself. Her eyes lifted off the ground, and they only grew wide at what she was seeing before her.

Satisfied that one nuisance was now out of the way, helpless, it snapped its head towards Nier, who was still temporarily stunned from the consecutive attacks he had received. With a triumphant howl, it jumped towards its prey.

*Ching!*

"Leave my buddy alone!" Steel met hard fangs in a battle of dominance, before Klein managed to turn the aggro towards himself with a powerful uppercut, joined with a blunt hit to the skull from Agil's mace.

"Eat this!" Argo broke from her formation, more intent at getting back at the boss for hurting her friend. She continued attacking him with her claw weapon, backed by the rest of her guild mates, whom all shared equal amounts of anger.

With its attention taken off the monochromatic-haired boy, Asuna had rushed over to his side, ready to heal him.

"Damn it, kid, don't scare us like that…" PoH clicked his tongue, standing nearby in case something tried anything funny on him.

"C-Come on, Nier..! Not yet..!" She hastily pulled out a health potion, almost dropping it as she tried getting him to sit up. He was smiling at her, even when he was mere moments from death, mind still a blur, before he took the potion. Drinking all of its contents, his health bar was restored up until it reached higher than half.

"T-Thanks…" He groaned, getting up.

"Oh, no. You're not going back in there. You just almost died!" She screamed, worried for him as she held him down by the shoulders. Still, he didn't pry her hands off of him, but instead took them in his, sending a flurry of emotions in her. 'N-Not now..!'

"Can't help it. I got a plan. Let's just get to it…" He managed to stand up now, seeing the old knight fending off the beast with his friends' help. "You got your «Sword Skill» charged?"

"Yeah. It's all good to be used," PoH nodded in conformation.

"Good… We've got one shot. Follow my lead," he blew one last breath out of his nostrils before activating «Monado». "…Hoii!"

The way its neck made a sickening crunch meant that it was hurt beyond healing. Still, that was a good thing, even if it did look worse than it originally was.

*Skraa!*

"Get ready," he told the two that stood to his left, holding his sword up. He made a gesture, with Heathcliff nodding in understanding. "Let's do this…" The red wolf prepared its final strength, ready to use it in this final attack.

It leapt backwards slightly, before entering a sprint towards the boy. Smiling, he readied himself to parry the next blow.

Holding it at his side, he drew the «Monado» to his right, parrying the boss's attack.

"…Now!" He barely managed to yell.

Activating their individual «Sword Skills», the four charged the creature with their attacks.

Asuna pelted blow after blow at the beast, filling each part of its body with holes. «Star Splash» was effective, as she struck at the body, before aiming her next hits at the head, legs and finally giving one powerful stab to the chest.

Heathcliff was giving blows at every edge and spot, his «Divine Sword» skill showing no mercy to the boss. He swung mercilessly, leaving slash marks at every point that he could get a hit on, not giving in to «Odogaron's» painful howls.

PoH's skill did not last as long as everyone else's, but effective nonetheless. He greatly reduced the boss's defense and attack, with a couple of cleaves and strikes, but not nearly as strong as everyone else's though. Still, his attacks were extremely fast, and with precise accuracy no less.

Nier chanted «Buster», allowing his «Monado» to build up the power. When he felt a surge of energy being exerted from the sword, he raised it into the air, before bringing it down in a guillotining action.

*Zzzk!*

Plasma cut into flesh, ending the final light that the fanged beast held onto. With a dying moan—

*Chsh!*

 ***God Eater—A Shadow Covering the Town (End Song)***

'THE BOSS HAS BEEN DEFEATED!'

"Yeah-ha!" And as ever, Klein was the first one to enter an excited fit of cheering, with every other player joining soon enough.

And Nier, as usual, dropped to the ground, sitting cross-legged as he took the time to regain his breath.

That battle was not as tiring as the ones where he had weld «Binary» and activated «Birth From Bytes». Still, that didn't mean that the whole thing wasn't tiring. This boss, unlike the previous ones, matched the players with its fast speed. Had the battle gone any differently, they would have undoubtedly lost.

Thankfully, the game was still being kind to them players, even if was still a bit difficult.

"Whoo…" He let out a deep sigh, happy that that was over. 'Just forty more, Nier. Forty more…'

*Thud!*

"Oof!" Still stuck in his thoughts, never did he think himself to be tackled into a hug so soon. By Asuna, no less. "Take it easy…"

"Baka!" She shouted, sobbing in his armour. "You were going to die out there..!"

"But I didn't. And I won't. I've still got a lot of fight in me…" He sighed, rubbing her back. Then again, he was so foolish to think that he had this in the bag, probably, so if this was the price to pay? 'Ehh, I can handle this, I guess.'

"Please… Don't ever do that again… I-I…" She trailed off then, opting to just cry in his chest. He sighed once more, pulling her into a hug. Her breath hitched right there.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry about that. I promise I'll rely on all of you more from now on," he placed his chin on her head, trying a nod. It didn't work since he was so tired, so he opted for just humming in her hair. "And… thank you. For looking out for me, even though I was stubborn."

"O-Of course I would… We all would…" She actually laughed, finally calm. Still, her heart was wavering, not willing to just let go. Sniffling once, she pulled away, still teary-eyed. "God… You're so mean, you know that?"

"Says the girl that suddenly tossed herself at a boy a year younger than her," he scoffed in return, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. "Look, I'm just being me, alright? So if I get in trouble, then that's my problem."

"Not just your problem, Nier," the boy looked up, staring into the eyes of Agil, who was smiling back. Behind him was the rest of his friends, their own displays of concern and relief present. "We're not ready to mourn for our leader yet, so don't even think about dying on us."

"Yeah, figured you'd say that…" He stood up, making sure that he didn't fall back down. With shaky legs, he tried to move towards them, only to suddenly fall back into Asuna's arms. "Never mind. I can't move…"

"Not like it would suck. Just means that we get to look after you," Argo snickered, relieved that nothing happened to the boy she loved just yet.

"Oh, joy…" He wanted to believe that everything would be fine, really. But in the midst of all these girls in his guild, who were suddenly looking at each other with eyes of a carnivore, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Well, what do we have here?" PoH came up, laughing. "Leader of the «Blank» made a guild with his harem? Now isn't that fantastic. Ha ha!"

Every girl there couldn't help but stare away from each other, blushing in embarrassment.

PoH just grinned. So these girls actually liked the kid? Well, a pity if he had killed him long ago. He wouldn't have been able to see this fun sight.

"Hey, the heck are you doing here? I thought you're a red player who has fun killing others," Nier suddenly spoke up, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"I just wanted to see you in action, alright? Heard from a little birdie that you were about to pull out a pretty cool weapon, and looks like they were right," he waved off the younger male's concerns with such a laid-back tone.

"Who told you?" Asune already had her hand at her rapier. 'Calm yourself,' the rapier-wielder told herself. Though he was dangerous, he did help out in the fight.

"Like I said, a little birdie. Jeez, Nier, take better care of your women. They're surprisingly deadly," there was no hint of malice in his words. All purely casual, and with a sense of jest. "We're done here, so I may as well go back."

"To the first floor?" He raised an eyebrow.

"To the first floor," he confirmed with a nod. "Oh. And don't die, ya' hear me? Those girls would surely go on a rampage if that happens. Plus, I'm curious as to how far you'll go."

"Uurgh…" He groaned, knowing that he'll have to meet him in a future time.

Still, the battle against «Odogaron, The Fanged Wyvern» was a success. They were going to make it to the sixty-first floor right after this, and nothing would be there to stop them.

Freedom was just in their grasps, and in a few more floors, it would become a reality.

So who was he to hide his smile?


	15. Chapter 14

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 14: My Answer Will Always Be Him'`

 _No man who lives can deny the joy that is meeting one's love. The very person of whom they shall spend their eternity with, for as long as they draw breath._

 _Romantic, no?_

 _Nier did not believe in the nonexistence of such a concept, believing it to be a natural phenomenon that every human will experience in one way or another, no matter how hard they shall try to fight against it._

 _He himself, however, was not interested in it. Rather, he focused his attention on freeing the people from their cage, intent on protecting his beloved ones all the same._

 _But who's to say no one did not have their eyes on him?_

* * *

A Year Ago—Floor 1

Funny. So much change had occurred ever since the time had passed for so long. It was hard to imagine just how chaotic everything had been when the death game had just begun. Most would have laughed at the memory, but such a feat would only be possible for one whose heart was strong enough to handle the melancholic fact that came with the memory.

The game was still on.

*Ching!*

"Crud..!" The orange-haired player fell to the ground, before resuming her escape once more, picking up her dagger that she had accidentally dropped a few meters away.

Her breaths coming in short cycles, she was looking around her for a suitable exit. Away from all the danger that she had placed herself in, away from all the loots that had blinded her, and ultimately drag her here.

*Thwak!*

She could feel the earth, as if the invisible veins that connected the forest, the land, the mountains, the sea—all of which she could feel connected to her soul. The littlest changes, the sounds of pebbles and dew, and the shifting down in this virtual dirt and land.

'A trap..!' She correctly identified, leaping past the vines that suddenly sprung into action, netting nothing. "Hah! Haha!"

Just a bit more, and she was going to be free—

*Twak!* *Chk!*

"Ghuh..!" The girl dropped to the ground, feeling something painful lodged in her right shoulder. Scampering up to her feet, she took a look at whatever it was, noticing an arrow. "D-Damn…"

Still persistent to keep on living, the girl continued running once more, pulling the arrow out with one swift motion. She hissed in pain, hoping to find someplace safe enough for her to tend to the wound, undisturbed.

Then the voices came.

"…that way..!" Faint, but rapidly approaching.

Biting back the urge to curse, knowing that it would be pointless and potentially give away her location, she continued running. A few distance later, she broke from the trail, entering the thick vegetation. She decided on hiding in one of them, but thought that one of them might have a good 'Detection' skill level, so she decided on the next best thing.

She leapt onto a tree, using both her feet to push her up. Grabbing onto a branch and two, she hoisted herself upwards, finally gaining leverage and stability on a large bough. Trusting her 'Hiding' skills on this one, she kept close to the three, making sure not to let any part of her be seen. The shade cast on her from the foliage of the tree, plus the lack of light, would certainly help her to remain hidden.

A few moments later, rustling could be heard. Then footsteps, loud and clear.

"Damn it, where the hell did she go?" A male swordsman spat, checking around him. "See anything?"

"Nope," his robed partner, with a dagger in hand, shook his head. "I thought I saw her. F**k, she must have ran."

"Coward…" Their third member, a white battle-axe wielder, sneered in anger. "And she had so much stuff on her. We should have cornered her."

"Uhh, for your information, we _did_ try to corner her. It's just that _someone_ ," the swordsman was leering at the axe wielder from the corner of his eye, not even trying to hide it. "Was too slow to catch up."

"You trying to say something, huh?!" Provoked, the third member pulled his leader by the collar, glaring back at him.

"Shush!" The dagger-wielder raised a finger in the air. "There's some other people coming this way…"

"How many?" Their leader asked, pushing himself away from the white man.

"Three. Should be easy to take down, right?" There was no doubting the fact that this would be easy job, just as they've done before.

The three of them were acquaintances in the real world, having met by some bizarre timing. Still, they grew to become quick friends, noticing how they possessed similar tastes. And they've stuck together ever since they entered this death game, becoming orange players without so much of a care.

In fact, the whole time they've been here, all they've done is rob from others. It was the best source of Cor and materials, and it had a sense of thrill behind it. Threatening their victims to empty their pockets never felt so satisfying.

As far as they've gone, they've never really targeted for parties more than three people, but with their current loss, anything would work.

"Get into position," their leader commanded, and the two nodded, making their way to a bush and behind a tree.

The orange-haired player, who had been watching them the whole time, decided to stay there. Once the battle begins, she'll make a beeline for the 'Starting Town', and she'll get a room at an inn. Maybe get herself a new weapon while she's at it.

Soon enough, her ears picked up the sounds of chatter, as well as footsteps.

"...Klein, you would seriously look good in a samurai armour. I think," the first voice was quite young. Probably fourteen, she thought, which was somewhat unimpressive. "I mean, you've got the build and looks for it. Have a shot at it."

"You sure? Don't I look like a… I don't know, a ninja or something to you?" A second voice, belonging to a man in his twenties spoke, scratching his head. "How about you Yuna?"

"I'm on Nier's side on that. I think it would suit you quite well," the third was a female's voice, sweet and heavenly, even as she giggled.

"Well, shucks! Then I better work hard to fit the image then!" The man, aforementioned to be Klein, spoke with a sense of determination.

"Don't worry. All you just need is the armour, the code of bushido in you, and the weapon. You'll be the first ever samurai to ever make his enemies laugh in battle," Nier chuckled, his friends laughing along.

They were continuing down this path, seemingly enjoying their time. What? How are they not scared? How can they stay relaxed, despite this game being a literal hellhole for them? They could be dead at any time, and they were just...

She was about to think about something else, until her pursuers revealed themselves, brandishing their weapons.

"Hold up!" The swordsman shouted, his party members having surrounded the group of three. "We've got you where we want you, and we're not afraid to use force! So drop your stuff, and—"

"So, you're robbing us. I didn't expect anything less of you," the boy with black and white hair simply sighed, messaging his temples. "There's so many things you can do to earn Cor and materials. Do a quest, help others, kill monsters. Instead, you whittle away with taking from others? How depressing can you get?"

The heck? For a moment there, the orange-haired lass actually almost fell face-first, utterly impressed that the boy was not shocked at all.

Wait a second. By the way he spoke, it sounded as if he _knew_ they were there to begin with...

Whoa, that was cool.

"S-Shut up! You're the ones in trouble, so you better keep your mouths shut unless you want to die so badly!" He spat, pissed off by this boy's nonchalance.

"As far as I can see, you're the ones that are in trouble. Daring to challenge us on your fifteenth attempt?" Finally, a smug grin came to his face, and the men flinched. How did he know? "Of course, I've heard of you three. Ambushing other players when you have the chance and take their items with force. I'm incredibly disappointed with you."

"Kid, don't even. We're the ones that outnumber—" He stopped himself in his tracks, noticing the fact that the numbers were entirely equal. "We _have you surrounded_. Now just be a good boy and—"

"If good boys are going to cower before you, then I rebel," he pulled out a simple broadsword from his inventory, materializing into a hilt and blade of metal in his hand. "Now, I absolutely hate giving orders, so I'll ask nicely. Please return everything that you've taken to their respective owners, no matter how long it'll take you to find them. Just do it, and everything doesn't have to go south."

"Tch. Don't play tough, you dipsh*t. You think the three of you got anything against us?" The blade he held was beginning to shake, due to him clenching it so hard. He could almost feel is veins pop in his head.

"Oi! You take back what you said about my friend, or I'll—" Klein was stopped in his tracks, held back by the sleeve of his armour. The grip on his cloth was certainly strong, despite Nier being just a kid.

"Tell you what. If I manage to defeat you, one on three, then you'll turn yourselves in. How about that?" The sly smirk the young fighter had was unnerving, but the conditions of the battle sounded much too good to pass on.

"Deal," his comrades made their way to their leader's side. "And I suppose you want to know who we are, before we kick you in."

"You're already predicting the outcome of the battle? I must say, I'm impressed. I didn't think myself fortunate to meet an esper in my life. Though, a blunt and pathetic one, that is," he shrugged with an unamused look.

The man with the sword restrained himself from returning the insult, knowing that it was near to impossible to faze this boy in a verbal fight. Taking in air through his nostrils to calm himself down, he took one minute to fully reach serenity, before speaking once more.

"I am Jáar," he spoke with a high sense of pride, as if his name was only to be spoken by the gods above.

"Kharma here," the one with large battle axe slung around his back spoke next, with a voice that belonged to an iron fortress.

"Emru," the robed man with the dagger, significantly younger than his comrades, was the last one to deal with the introductions.

"Okay. Good to know the names of the first players I'm about to beat in this game," Nier nodded in understanding, aiming his sword at Jáar. "Any last words? I'll start off with mine."

'He's going to lose…' The orange-haired player couldn't help but scoff at the sight before her. Taking on three players alone, whilst his friends just stand by the sidelines? What was he? Trying to play hero?

Still, the way they looked at him with calm and assured looks meant that they must hold high amounts of trust in this young person. Not going to change anything, though.

She was just about ready to walk away from the area, when he kicked back the dirt, and—

*Fwhoo!*

She paused, eyes shooting wide at what she had just witnessed.

No, that couldn't have been it. It should have been impossible.

But it happened.

In that short instance, with just three seconds or less having passed, he had switched his blade for a thin rapier, and with just one «Sword Skill», he had crossed the distance between himself and the group of three players.

The effects was staggering.

Dust was sent everything, as the wind picked everything in its wake and sent stones, leaves and little critters flying everywhere. His own friends seemed to struggle just to remain standing on their feet, but the orange players had all dropped to the ground.

"My final words… Checkmate," he wasn't saying that with a sense of arrogance, nor was he acting like any boastful man. He was just smiling, holding his rapier straight. "Now, if you gents would be kind enough to follow me."

There was no response. They had been left shell-shocked by what just happened, instead frozen stiff on the ground, staring at him with wide-eyed expressions.

"Okay, I'll take that as a 'no'…" The boy sighed, looking to his friends. "Klein, if you'd please."

"Y-Yeah, got it," the samurai nodded, jogging to his young friends' side and securing the three players. "Jáar, Kharma and Emru. Some strange names if I've ever heard of them."

"They're in-game identities. But now, they are our identities, so please don't treat it with disrespect," the boy then turned his gaze to a tree, scanning it. It was like he knew something was there. Bullseye. "You can come down now."

"What? Who are you talking about?" Yuna followed his gaze, seeing nothing. Just a tree with fruits in its foliage. "I don't see anyone."

"Don't worry, there's no illusion. There is someone there," to get his message across, he picked up a stone and tossed it in that relative direction, hearing it hit against metal. "You're injured. Get down from there, and let's find some place to heal up."

There was no words that came in response, nor was a dagger shot his way. Instead, a figure jumped down from the branches high up, stumbling towards him.

A girl with orange hair, pretty blue eyes and a thin figure. She had a knife clipped to her belt, with other assortment of items there as well.

She didn't really trust him, so it was understandable that she wasn't conversing with him. Still, could she not look away? Makes him wonder if he had a scary look.

Which even he himself was sure the opposite was true.

"You're going to need better equipment. And more stuff, no less. You're not properly stocked," the boy noted, not noticing the way her eyebrow raised at him. "Well, we're going back to the 'Starting Town', so we could get you a room at an inn or somewhere."

"Why do you care so much about me?" She wasn't trying to sound rude, but with a stranger suddenly offering her so many things without asking something in return was just suspicious.

"He just cares about others generally," the other male of the group spoke, giving the three players he was holding on a slight push to move forwards. "Damn it, move! Err, Nier's just like that. He likes helping out the lower-levelled players."

" _Lower-levelled_? What level are you then?" She asked, expecting something low.

"He just reached level 13 yesterday," the chestnut-haired girl answered, with shocked gasps escaping both the girl's and their captors' lips.

"H-How?! That's impossible! The monsters here are barely above level six!" She jumped up close to the boy, who was trying to get a bit of distance from her.

"It's called 'grinding'," he said in a matter-of-factly tone, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It means going out to an area to repetitively kill monsters so to gain a large amount of materials and experience points."

"The hell? That's not how it works! This is only the third week, and it would've gotten someone up to level 7 at best!" She was still in disbelief, unable to accept the bare truth before her.

"I go out a lot, kill monsters a lot, and tend to go alone while these guys," he gestured to his friends with his thumb. "Are asleep."

"Yeah! You should take us with you, man! I mean, all of us would get stronger together then!" Klein cried out, a sense of amusement welling up in the girl. Seems that he was like the comic relief of this party.

"Whatever. You guys were tired, so I let you guys sleep in. Don't bother saying that you didn't like it," he chuckled, already knowing just how much he would have loved it as well. "In any case, we should get moving. Your name is?"

"And why should I be giving you my name?" She sneered in response, hand dangerously closing in on her dagger.

"Because I require the name of the victim of this orange-player case. With your name, I'm able to solidify the fact that they did indeed cause a crime, and as such would be dealt with by the Magistrate," he explained. "If you're not confident in giving your name to us, then we'll give you ours. I'm Nier, my friend here is Klein, and the pretty girl here is Yuna."

"N-Nier..! Don't say that..!" The one with her white hat blushed, covering both cheeks in embarrassment.

"It's just a fact, Yuna. Don't need to be so flustered about it," he rolled his eyes with a chuckle, before looking back at the other player. "Now, if you may?"

For some odd reason, with what had just gone down, two feelings were beginning to sprout in her.

One, she was actually beginning to trust him. Though he was a stranger whom had singlehandedly defeated three orange players without even damaging them, which meant that he was extremely dangerous, and could kill her if he so wished to, she managed to find herself relatively calm in his presence, and the sense of safety was there as well.

Two, she was experiencing an emotion she didn't understand, nor had she ever felt in her entire life. Why was it that it felt bad? It was new, something that only came to fruit when the monochromatic-haired boy had complimented his friend, whom she was sure was not even in a relationship with him.

Pushing all these thoughts aside, she spoke.

"…Philia," her voice came out in a whisper, still wary of them.

"Well, Philia, good to have you," he smiled at her.

* * *

Arriving at the 'Starting Town', Philia wasn't all that surprised to see so many things happening. In fact, the people themselves looked like busy ants, constantly moving from here to there, doing work or just something else entirely.

They soon reached the marketplace, which was filled to the brim with people, both players and NPC's alike. She wondered as to how they could still remain calm and casual, despite their given situation.

Even then, she still didn't get the answer as to how this boy and his little party was as calm as they were. So if she didn't know about just one little party, there would be no answer to a whole crowd of people.

"Agil," she heard the boy call out once he reached a stall. Well, more of a box with a large sign behind him. The gigantic man the boy called out to was busy checking the stocks in some other box, before he turned around, a bead of sweat on his brow.

"Oh, Nier! Hey, good to see you again," the large man grinned, before his gaze turned to Yuna. "And a pleasure to see you as well, Yuna," and then to Klein, of which his smile dropped. "Yo."

"Don't 'Yo' me so blankly!" The future samurai cried out in response, annoyed.

"Agil, I need a favour," the boy began, gaining his older friend's attention. "This player here," he gestured to Philia, who was standing behind him. "Was subject to an assault from three orange players. She's injured, needs a set of new gear, and other things that may come in handy."

"Well then, you've come to the right place," he nodded with a large grin, turning around. "A player was kind enough to give me her stuff, saying that she was going to work at the church from now on, look after the children. Gotta' say, she looked pretty happy. Her name was Sasha, if I'm not wrong."

"May God bless her soul," the boy muttered to himself. Not many people would go out of their way to help others. They were either far too concerned with their own safeties, or wanting to just get out of here.

"Well, here it..! is!" The man placed a set of armour on the box with a huff, with a good-looking knife on the pile. "You're free to take it all."

"Are you sure..?" She wasn't able to understand this. To purchase armour was already so difficult due to how trying it was to get Cor, and here she was getting it for free. No doubt, most players would be pretty pissed about this.

"It's fine. I mean, if you're not going to take it, it's probably going to be sitting here for weeks before someone else does," he chuckled, waving off her concerns. "So, Nier, what's your next plan?"

"Dunno'. Gonna' keep leveling up, perhaps. I'm setting level 20 as my target by the end of his this week," he said with a trace of hope in his words, with his three friends groaning in response.

The boy was certainly an amazing person, no doubt. And once he sets his sights on a target, he was going to do everything he can to achieve it, no matter what.

And saying otherwise would only increase his determination to achieve it at an earlier time, such as his current state of being level 13, all because Klein said it was impossible.

Good job, man. I tip my hat to you.

"Well, you do you…" The bald man couldn't find it in himself to be mad with the boy. He's probably doing this to help out everyone else. "And you, lady? What are you going to do from now on?"

"Oh. I'm not sure," she blinked, actually at a lost there.

This whole time, she's been trying to survive and get out of here. Now, however, in the face of people who actually held compassion towards one another, and even those that were strangers to them, what was she supposed to say?

Noticing her hesitation, Nier spoke up next.

"If you're not sure, then I suggest you one thing," he began, and Klein couldn't help but fold his arms, smiling in anticipation.

It was times like these when Nier was about to give his words of wisdom, and no doubt it would help him grow as well. Become a wiser man, Klein, then you'll get all the ladies' attention on you. Bonus!

"Set a target for yourself, and just go with the flow," he said simply. Tilting her head in confusion, he continued. "You don't need to worry about the big problems. Right now, just focus on living and actually improving. It's useless to keep fearing the day we'll reach the last floor when we're still at rock bottom."

"I agree. For now, we just need to keep pressing on and try hard," Agil nodded in agreement.

"And if you want to do something, then do it. If someone says otherwise, well, don't let them stop you. This is a game, and in a game, the player can decide their own actions," he pointed a finger at her, startling her by a bit. "Be the gamer who you want to be. Don't let others dictate the path that you will choose."

"Be who I want to be…" She repeated, looking down on her hands. A new resolve stemmed in her heart, which only grew with his words.

"Just make sure not to go overboard, get proper of rest, eat well, and train. Oh, and unwind whenever you ever feel stressed. That'll keep your mind clear and ready for whatever," he shrugged right after, smiling. "Well, that's all I can say. Oh yeah, hang on."

Tapping a few buttons on his menu, with the lass watching him intently, she jumped slightly when a notification appeared before her. Tapping on the blue button, it was a message, indicating that the player 'Nier' had just sent her Cor.

Looking at him, he nodded.

"You're going to need it," he said simply, before turning heels. "Klein, Yuna, let's go. We've got lots on our plates, so let's finish what we can."

"You got it!" His best friend pumped his fist in the air, ready.

"Coming!" The girl gave a bow to both Agil and Philia, joining her party right after.

"You be careful now! Wouldn't want to lose my favourite customers!" The bald man cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting. "And friends!" He added that last bit after a while.

Philia stared at the disappearing figure of the boy, already sensing a connection with him, even though she would never see him for what would be a long time.

But she didn't care. She was finally smiling after what felt so long.

And man, it felt good to smile.

* * *

Present—Floor 60: Eryth

Philia paced back and forth outside the entrance of the labyrinth, biting her thumb as her mind raced from thought to thought.

'He was actually here…' She whispered in her mind, knowing that no one would be there to hear her. Still, that didn't mean anything. Now, however, all she could focus on was one thing.

Or person.

'Nier..!' The same person who had offered her a light to hold onto, giving her hope to continue fighting. She smiled dreamily, thankful that she even had the chance to see his face, even if for a short moment.

The battle between him and «Odogaron» had put her off edge the whole time she had been watching, as she was afraid something bad was going to happen to him. Fortunately, he was spared of any unneeded ending, and managed to live through it just fine.

The way he danced in the battlefield was what had her so enthralled in her watching him. So precise, so powerful… She almost thought she was going to faint there and then, after watching him so intently. How could someone as young as he was be so amazing?

Still, he had proven himself so many things, so there was no need to underestimate him.

And yet, the sour feeling she had experienced that one year ago had resurfaced after two events.

One, when he was rescuing his two guild mates—he very much preferred to call him his friends—after they had been attacked by the boss. And to see them being carried by him in such ways had her almost wanting to give them a good smacking.

Two, when the whole battle was done, that powerful rapier-wielder dressed in white and red had the gall to go up to him and hug him. She was seething with rage at that point, but made no move to break them apart. So, she dealt with the torturous session for just a bit, pinching her arm in the process.

After everything was sorted out, she had decided to wait outside the boss room. Though she would have loved to go see Nier once more, she still had other things to do, and no doubt her boss would cut her allowance if she slacked off.

Seriously though, who would have thought she would start collecting souvenirs? It was fun.

*Tk. Tk. Tk.*

"Ah, PoH!" She perked up as her leader came into view, his hood pulled back. Her eyes went wide, and, before she even had the chance to form a single word, he brought up his hand.

"It's nothing. I was the one who revealed myself," he explained.

"B-But why? I thought you said we have to keep our identities a secret," she was so confused. Why let the players see his face? He himself said that it would come to bite them back in the butt if they _ever_ reveal their identities.

"Just because I wanted to, really," he chuckled. "Plus, Nier was there, and there was no changing the fact that he wanted to take a look at my perfect face—"

"His face is better," she retorted. Sensing the smirk forming on his face, the realisation of what she had just said hit her, and she felt her entire face burn in embarrassment. "W-Wait, that's not what I—"

"Philia. I get it. We all get it. You _like_ him. I'm not surprised," he shrugged, laughing. She was rendered speechless, stuttering at every turn as she looked at her own feet. "Well, good luck, I guess. You're going to be having a lot of competition, I can tell you that."

He patted her on the shoulder, passing her. But the moment he reached just a feet away, he could feel a strong wave of murderous intent being emanated from the girl.

Now, PoH was many things, and a murderer was one of them. As such, he had developed a heart practically untouchable by anything. He felt no fear, and was constantly cool-headed. Nothing, as far as he knew, could really scare him off.

But right now, back facing his subordinate, he actually felt a shiver travel up his spine for once in his life. He was actually afraid for once, not daring to look behind her.

And had he bothered to get closer to her, he would have heard her swearing one simple thing.

"I'll win," was all she said, promising on her name to do so. But win what though?

The heart of a person, with said person known worldwide as «Blank», leader of a guild named the same thing, and simply «Nier» to most. And _no one_ was going to take _him_ away from her.

* * *

The Next Week—Floor 60—Syü Village

"So you're saying that I, a simple person who possess no talents whatsoever, and haven't actually done much as far as he's ever come into the game, is bound to a fate of being surrounded by women?" Nier monotoned, raising his eyebrow.

It was certainly a strange topic. Klein had successfully roped him into a conversation about everyone, themselves being included as well. And though it was relatively safe at first, but as time went on, Nier wondered as to why the whole flow of the conversation was beginning to shift towards him now.

And then everything was all about him.

As their leader, all of them looked up to him very much, with all of them no doubt wishing to become just like him. If not, then at the very least, possess a piece of strength of the one who was fated to free the people from this virtual death world.

Such a prophesy that, had it existed, would have been looked on as such a motivational piece. But Nier thought otherwise, instead trying very hard to place the achievements and efforts on others.

A modest fellow, he was.

But then things turned weird. It started with personal dreams, such as how he wanted to be the best hacker and gamer—he didn't really mention the part where he had actually succeeded with the former—and how he wanted to be the best son to his family.

That part actually brought tears to their eyes.

Then there was the matter of what he was going to do when he wakes up. His answer? To reunite with his family and everyone here. They've already built such strong bonds, so why should they split ways?

And the current topic was questionable, at best.

Romance.

"Klein, you've got to be kidding. Me? A harem? Please, get your mind out of the box," he chuckled, finding amusement in his best friend's words.

"I'm not joking! I can already imagine it, and I bet everyone else is thinking the exact same thing!" The samurai said otherwise, standing firm with his belief.

"You've got to be serious… Can you actually believe him?" The boy turned his attention to the other two male members of the «Blank».

"Actually, I'm on Klein's side on this one," the samurai had stars in his eyes as he stared at Agil, smiling brightly. The latter nodded in response. "I've got the feeling that almost everyone's got their eyes set on you."

"No kidding. You'd definitely make quite the interesting family, if it manages to become one, that is," Nautilus chuckled, knowing how, sadly, that Yuna already had her eyes on him.

He was her friend, ever since they were kids. Together, he had developed a sense to protect her, which slowly turned into adoration, which then grew into affection.

Alas, she did not return it, instead seeking out the heart of their leader. And though this initially disheartened him, he soon found himself wanting to support her through and through.

This was a difficult time, both because they were in a death game and because there were other girls that were fighting for his attention. He was her friend, and he was going to help her every step of the way into their leader's heart.

He just hopes this wouldn't cause any coldness between the girls. They were extremely good friends, but when it came to Nier, it was every girl for themselves.

Brr… Scary.

"Guys, for me to even have a _harem_ , there has to be the girls that like me. Sure, I could handle one girl, but a harem? Come on, even that sounds rather childish," black and white hair was swept back, revealing dark grey eyes. "Look, this isn't some anime world where the protagonist gets the heroines heads over heels for him. How many girls would even fall in love with me, huh?"

* * *

Such little actions could ultimately change everything, and he was lucky that did this had not caused a quote unquote 'Butterfly effect' that would have ultimately changed things.

No, it wasn't all that big of an effect.

In fact, it was the most logical thing that would happen in anime.

Number one. A girl described to be the incarnation of a goddess, with chestnut hair tied into braids, sneezed as she walked in the forest. Her hazel eyes scanned the area, unsure of what just happened.

Number two. A girl with light brown hair, currently looking at her stash of instruments, which was a lyre and a violin, sneezed. She didn't smell dust, so where did that come from?

Number three. The girl brushed her blue hair, humming a happy tune to herself as she looked at the mirror, before she suddenly felt an expulsion out of her nostrils.

Number four. A petite girl with hazel hair tied in twin pigtails, busy playing with her «Feathered Dragon» before her nose was suddenly sniffling, before she blew a sneeze.

Number five. A girl with pink hair was striking hot metal, until she suddenly experienced the aforementioned effect, dropping her hammer in the process. She blinked, wondering just how it's possible to sneeze in a game.

Number six. She was busy selling information to some other players, ready to take a sack of Cor from them until she suddenly sneezed, eyes screwed shut, gaining 'Aww's from the crowd at how adorable she sounded.

Number seven, who was pretty unexpected. She didn't know what just happened, but she was suddenly hit with the urge to sneeze. Did «Cardinal» develop this? Still, she allowed it to happen, eyes screwed shut.

Number eight. The little girl with eyes as red as blood and hair as white as virgin snow clasped her nose with her little hands, experiencing an involuntary expulsion of air through her nose.

Number nine. The girl sitting beside her, with short black hair, was hit with the same urge, and she found herself making the same sound as well.

Number ten. She was looking at her rapier, remembering the time she met him in the cave. She reached out to take her bow, before she bended over, sneezing.

Number eleven. The girl was playing an entirely different game, and as such, had never met him. But she herself found herself sneezing, her purple hair flying everywhere as he guild members watched. Number twelve was her sister, who was hit with the same urge just a moment later.

Number thirteen. She was holding her sniper rifle steadily, but that loud sound that she emitted soon gave off her location to multiple of monsters, requiring her to fire away.

Nonetheless, the numbers didn't stop there, and more came to experience such a phenomena. It was so strange, in fact, that Layla took the time to briefly understand what just happened. Just what was happening that made all these girls experience this simple phenomenon, yet at the same time? And why just girls, and so many of them?

The reason she didn't know was because the broadcasting station hadn't even displayed Nier and his guild, so there was no info over what was going on.

Adam didn't really care. It was both entertaining and funny at the same time. And he could only imagine why…

* * *

For some odd reason, Nier felt a strange urge to just look at the girls in his guild. Did something just happen? Because he could've sworn he heard Asuna, or something. She was just outside of the house, after all.

"See? It's a sign," Klein nodded, looking like a sage.

"I highly doubt it," the boy groaned, knowing just how persistent his friend was going to be. "It's probably some dust or pollen. We're in a village in the middle of a forest, after all."

The village that they were currently staying at was called Syü, surrounded by a large forest composed of trees that stood at heights of six metres high. There were so many mobs around, too, so hunting was definitely going to be the best idea to get food.

Though, he would really like it if he could eat bread too.

Surrounding the forest was a large lake, home to a wide array of aquatic life. The perfect place to set sail and catch some fish too.

However, this was actually the secondary town on the floor, with the main town being 'Selmburg', which was an extremely beautiful castle city that settled on an island somewhere north from here. The island being surrounded by the lake as well, the only way in were the large brick bridges that connected both islands, with guard NPC's patrolling at every hour.

Right now, they were deciding to kick back and relax, having just assisted the clearing guilds taking down the bosses until floor sixty-five. Their next plan was to move on to floor seventy, once they were properly restocked.

While they would have loved to rest up in 'Selmburg' and not here, the houses in the city were far too expensive, and would take up quite the amount of Cor from their stashes. Wanting to save up for the future, Nier decided against it, instead opting to spend the nights here.

"Man, we've really pushed ourselves far. That was pretty tiring…" Agil rolled his shoulder, a crack sound being heard. "I don't like the boss on floor sixty-four, though. Such a cheater."

And then their thoughts shifted to the humanoid boss. «Valhalla, The Infinite Blade». To put it simply, it was the previous samurai boss they had fought so many floors before, but this time, it was like a knight version of it. Add to the fact that it was capable of _summoning swords from the ground_ made him a formidable foe, and it required everyone to be quick on their feet once more.

With Nier's careful commandment, and the priceless assistance from Heathcliff as well, as was PoH—why he was still there, he didn't know—the tide of the battle went smoothly, with his «Paradigm Shift» tactic proving to be quite beneficial, as it always have. There were already those that were planning to try out his style of battle, until he managed to convince them otherwise.

This sort of tactic was extremely hard to wield, as it required perfect synchronisation between the party members. In Nier's case, knowing that each and everyone were strong friends with each other, there would be no problem for them, as they would be able to complement each other well in battle.

It was… to put it in easier terms, each and every person was a puzzle piece. They must be pieced together with another person so to function best. And in his guild, everyone were able to fit themselves perfectly with the other, so there was no needing to worry about anything.

Or, if he wanted to use a scientific terms, he would describe them as—

Actually, scratch that. Not everyone here excelled in biologic structure in the human body.

"Well, we don't have to worry about him anymore. He's dead, poof. We're probably not gonna' have to see him after all this," the boy shrugged with a sigh, leaning into the couch. He didn't understand why, but couches were just so comfortable.

Heck, he fell asleep in them more times than he could count now. They were just so nice…

"Nier, if someone said that you were going to be asked out on a date tomorrow by a girl, would you believe me?" Klein suddenly changed the subject, an expectant look that reached even his eyes.

"Pfft, you're crazy. Something like that is impossible," he rolled his eyes, holding back the laughter.

"You sure about that? If so, then I'll even raise the stakes. They're going to be from our guild," he added after a while. "And… Ooh, ooh! I bet that at least two girls will be asking you out at the same time!"

"You sure are excited about this, for some strange reason," which was pretty odd, considering the only time he's ever been this excited was during his and Nautilus's shared birthday party, in which he was literally placing his wallet on the table and keeping the wine inflow constant.

Though this was a game, he wasn't going to be drinking any. No way.

His father didn't drink. His mother didn't drink. And as such, he was going to follow their example and not drink.

Plus, he knew enough that it had caused too much problems. Verbal assaults, rape, senseless attacks on others, and even suicide at times. As long as he was going to live, he was going to keep off the alcohol, even if its effects had been reduced to almost nil in this game.

"I just want to prove you wrong for once! In this, I know I'm going to be right," he spoke with an assured tone.

"Same here," Agil gave a nod, with Nautilus sharing the same look of certainty.

"Uurgh… You all are going to be the death of me," the boy scratched his head, slightly infuriated and confused. "Whatever. And I think that such a thing is not going to happen."

"And since you said 'bet'," Nier took a moment to reassess his words, groaning once he realised that he did say 'bet'. The samurai could feel his grin become wide. "Let's put what we're willing to part with on the table."

Tapping a few buttons and the like, a shiny little ring was then placed on the table, with a strange text of words inscribed into the inner part of the rin.

Taking curiosity towards it, the boy raised the ring to his eye level, reading it.

"It's Latin," he identified, eyes flickering to the left as he twisted the ring. " ' _And he who commands the hearts be blessed with power_ '. What?"

"Yeah! I found it a few days ago in one of the boss rooms. Apparently, it only works on a person who's got a spouse," he nodded.

The ring was simple by looks alone, but the effects were respectable. Added strength, defense and speed by 5%. It also boosted one's resilience to elements and status ailments by 10%. Huh. Well, it certainly has its boons. And extremely generous ones, no less.

"Give this to someone else. I'm not married," he said, returning it to Klein.

"Nope! I'm putting this on the betting ring," he shook his head, placing it on the table. "And we'll reverse the rules. If I win, you get this ring."

"That's the most strangest way to do a bet if I've ever heard one," no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to stop himself from laughing slightly, knowing just how amusing his friends could be. "Fine, fine. I may as well."

Bringing up his menu, he began tapping away at a few buttons, navigating through his inventory. With a click or two, a beautifully crafted blade, curved slightly with a black hilt, no guard, appeared in his hands.

Klein gawked at the blade, surprised that he had such a thing in his possession.

"Liz made this for me. I asked her for something that was going to be heavy, durable and strong, and she made me this," he explained. "So, the rules are reversed, it seems. Should I lose, then I need to accept the item of which you are to give me, indeed?"

"R-Right…" He could already tell what his next words were going to be.

"And if you were to lose, which you yourself are extremely certain is impossible," the boy snickered, enjoying this very much. "Only then will I give this to you. Hmm, a fair situation."

"No it's not! You're putting something extremely worthwhile on the table, while I'm just giving this!" He held up the ring, looking distraught.

"On the contrary. Such item, no matter how small, that bestows so much boosts to a person is indeed rare," there was a chuckle that filled the room, coming from Nier himself. "Ring aside, however, I would be honored to find myself a girl who loves me."

"Dude, you've got _fangirls,"_ his friend sighed, wanting to take that katana so much.

"And you do yourself too, actually," his words got a surprised look from his friend. He was probably shouting 'Are you serious?!' without actually saying anything. "What? You never noticed? Just the other day in the market, there were a couple of women actually talking about you."

"Seriously?! Oh, damn! My time to shine has finally come!" The samurai yelled, pumping his fist in the air as he cried comical tears.

"Well, your reputation _does_ precede you, but not in the way you think, Klein," Nautilus at the side chuckled, getting the man's attention. "I was there once, and they were talking about the way you usually fight in a battle."

"Ooh! Really really? Did they mention how cool I looked? Or, or, did they say how amazing I was whenever I took down a mob?" He excitedly asked, not able to restrain himself any longer. "Well, come on! Spill it!"

"Not at all. They say that your fighting style pales in comparison to Nier's, is rather sloppy at times, that you're far too goofy for anyone to take seriously, and that you will forever remain a bachelor," the younger swordsman shook his head, putting on a thoughtful look. "If I'm not mistaken, they said that you're much more fit to be a bartender, although a horrible one, I think."

"Urk! All that roasting…" The samurai deflated, feeling his pride as a man shatter.

"B-But that's what they say! Who cares what anyone thinks about you? I personally think you're cool either way," Nautilus received only a whimper as a response. "Maybe I went too far?"

"Nah, let him. He wanted to know so bad, he got his answer," Agil snorted in amusement.

"Whatever. Can we just forget whatever just happened today?" Their leader sighed, shaking his head. "I don't even care about this dumb bet anymore. Let's just relax. We're going to take on floor sixty-six after this."

"And then we'll pushing up to floor seventy. Yup, I'm going to take this chance and kick back, no matter what," the large man agreed with a huff.

"And I'm going to the bathroom. Need to clean my face after all the crying…" Whimpered the «Wandering Samurai», who looked to be limping off to wherever he was going.

"Well, I'm taking a walk. This talk about girls and stuff just made me realise I want to actually see the sun and not drown myself in petty talk of romance. Eergh," Nier muttered, bidding a short farewell to the two guys before making his way out.

The crispy afternoon air was refreshing, giving a sense of serenity that he was sure would not be missed. It was humid and warm, but most importantly, relaxing. A pleasant time to go on a stroll, even if it didn't match up to floor twenty-two's beauty.

Smiling, he was ready to just let himself wander the forest, until he noticed Asuna coming from that direction.

"Huh. Must have been done with her walk," he mumbled to himself, before calling out to her. "Asuna!"

"Huh? Nier?" She perked up, smiling immediately the moment her eyes laid on her leader. "Oh, good afternoon to you!"

"Same. I just got out of the house. I needed to unwind," he chuckled, scratching his head.

"Well, why not join me on a walk? And don't worry, I don't mind going on another stroll," she smiled, adding the last part to herself. "Especially with you…"

"What was that?" He tilted his head.

"N-Nothing!" The rapier-wielder was quick to shake her head, looking flustered. "C-Come on! Let's go."

"Right," he decided to drop it there, instead walking beside her into the forest.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, a pair of blue eyes watched the black and white-haired boy, leering slightly. The figure stood up from wherever they sat, ready to make their way to him.

* * *

A Moment Later

"Man. Mother would love these," Nier gave a short gasp as he suddenly crouched down, plucking a little red flower that he had seen sprouting from a little foliage.

"What's that?" She asked, crouching slightly.

"It… looks like a hibiscus," he answered, trailing off at first. He was turning the flower over, looking at it. "Nope, it definitely is a hibiscus. It's pretty."

"You said your mother would like it. Why's that?" She asked again, curiosity laced in her words.

"My mother is, believe or not, the prettiest woman," she decided not to comment, knowing that he was a family person, and would definitely say that about his own mother. "Who actually hails from the Peninsular Malaysia. It's not so far, mind you, but certainly something to hear a Malaysian woman marry a Japanese man."

"So you're half-Malaysian? You don't look like it," she eyed each detail on his face, finding nothing of the sort.

"Yeah. My father said that I possessed more traits of my grandfather than I do with her. But I'd like to think that I share at least a quarter the intellect of my mother," he chuckled, brushing a finger against a petal. "But I would never really believe that. My mother is by far the smartest person to have ever existed. I'm blessed to have her."

Unbeknownst to him, said mother was crying tears of joy, spouting all sorts of stuff, ranging from how lucky she was to have him and things like how he would make any mother cry with saying stuff like that.

Adam couldn't help but shake his head.

"You really love your family, huh?" Asuna giggled, finding him to be cuter than she had given him credit for. He really is like a child. And that fact only stayed as he looked at her, a thoughtful expression on his features. "Yes?"

"Actually, I have an idea," he mumbled, with her trying to understand what he meant, until he suddenly clasped her by the face. "Hold still."

"W-What..?!" Flustered, remain stuck here, was he actually going to kiss her here?!

For all the love and minutes she had spent for him, is the time actually coming? Is he finally going to reciprocate her feelings? But God, why did she have to be a nervous mess!

And here he was, just as confident as ever. Nier's eyes held no traces of hesitation. He wasn't nervous like she was. It was as if he had practiced for this moment a long time ago.

Unable to meet his gaze any longer, her eyelids had screwed shut. The moment she did so, she could feel his hands tread into her hair, and her blush only intensified. Damn, he wasn't even trying, and he had already broken her calm.

His touch was gentle. It was perfect. It made her want more. How could such a thing exist?

Thinking that the moment was just close, that she would soon become a woman, his woman, she decided to just let herself be.

She waited. Waited.

But nothing happened.

"There," she could feel him smiling, even if she hadn't opened his eyes yet. "Asuna, open your eyes."

Not understanding what had just happened, she complied, staring into the eyes of her crush.

"Oh yeah. You're going to need a mirror," the boy tapped his forehead, as if he had just made a silly mistake. He pulled out the same pocket mirror all the players had received on the very first day—thanks a lot, Kayaba—and opened it. "Look."

She wasn't sure what he meant. When she looked into it, she gasped.

In place on top of her ear, a beautiful flower with such a vibrant red was nestled there, with strands of hair that would have covered it tucked aside.

"See. When pretty is mixed with pretty, you get extremely pretty. And it seems…" He took another look at her, humming in satisfaction. He even had a triumphant smile on him, as if he had made yet another accomplishment. "Yup. It suits you."

"G-God. Stop…" She couldn't keep looking at him. All these compliments and bubbly feelings, all of which was because she wanted to join him on his stroll. 'T-Then again, it's not like it's bad…'

" _Hibiscus rosa-sinensis_. The national flower of Malaysia," he said, before standing, taking her hand. "You have to admit, it does look good on you."

"P-Please. It would look good on anybody," she chuckled, nervous but obviously happy. "B-But, thank you."

"Mmm, it's cool," his smile was just…

Beautiful.

"Come on, let's get back. I think we've been away for too long," true to his words, it had already been evening, as the sun was slowly dipping past the horizon. "Wouldn't want to worry the others."

"R-Right," she nodded, still flustered.

Remembering the path back home, Nier took a step forwards.

*Fwoo!*

*Ching!*

"Whoa!" It happened too fast.

She was suddenly behind Nier, who had jumped in front of her to deflect a dagger that was aimed at her. The boy had his own knife in hand, sharpened to perfection.

"This is a safe area, so an attack won't work, you know," Nier still kept his weapon in hand, just in case. "So show yourself, unless you want me to chase you down."

It was some time later before whoever it was complied, stepping out.

In a fine blue dress, with a lighter blue skirt and nice pair of boots. Whoever this was, she certainly seemed proficient with a dagger, indicated by how she had so much on her, with throwing picks on her person as well.

And then he saw her hair. And those eyes. Wait a minute…

"Philia?" He blinked, setting his weapon aside. For a moment there, he actually ignored the fact that she had just tried to attack his friend.

But damn, what is she doing here of all places?

"Hang on, is that you? Wow, it's been long," the boy continued, setting his weapon aside.

"You still remember me?" Philia, the orange-haired girl, was genuinely surprised.

"I make it my goal to remember everyone's names. Would be rude to forget their names when I meet them in the future, am I right?" He snickered, before a calm smile stretched over his features. "But man, it's been long. Last I met you was last year, on floor one. How have you been?"

"Fine, thank you," she nodded back, her own little grin present.

To be honest, her reunion with the boy did not go as planned... But being here now was actually just a dream, that every logical part of her tuned out everything else.

And then she caught a glance at Asuna.

"Say, who's this?" She asked, sounding wary.

"A friend of mine," he said simply, gesturing to Asuna. "Asuna," and his hands moved towards the dagger-wielder next. "Philia."

"A pleasure to meet you, Philia," while she was still untrusting of her due to that previous attempt of assault, she decided to just let it go, giving a bow.

"…Likewise," the other girl simply looked away.

"In any case, we haven't talked for a _really_ long time, so you're going to talk to us about what you've been up to," there was a slight pause, before he turned to look at her. "Unless there's anything that you don't want to talk about, of course."

"Of course. I wouldn't mind," she shook her head, just happy to have met her saviour again.

* * *

Back in their comfortable home, both chefs of the guild were already busy preparing dinner for everyone, as well as their new guest. Nier insisted that Philia stay, and—though she would never admit it—she was more than happy to do so.

He was sitting at the end of the dining table, Pina comfortably sleeping on top of his lap.

It was a strange thing. Ever since Silica had joined his guild, the little «Feathered Dragon» actually took a liking to him, in which it would usually just take a nap with or on him.

Everyone's attempts at befriending the creature had backfired since it was terrified of any other people besides just its master. But Nier got that thing to like him just by a simple glance.

*Chirp…*

"Nier!" Yui walked to the table, placing a tray of teacups and a pot of freshly brewed tea on it. "Here you go!"

"Thank you," he whistled, pouring himself and his guest a cup each, giving Philia her own cup. "So, where have you been?"

"Helping out the lower-levelled players," she answered, already looking as if she had prepared the whole elaboration as well. "You said that I needed to find myself a purpose, and that's what I did. I settled on helping out the other players because that was all that I could do, I suppose. It... was really nice."

"And treasure hunting," he added blankly, earning a wide-eyed look from her. He smiled back, that knowing look never failing to impress and amuse. "What? Thought I didn't notice? I can easily see that that pouch on your belt is clinking with gems."

"Hmmhmm," it was a cross between a chuckle and a hum, lips sealed as she smiled. "You're way too perceptive for your own good. How do you do it?"

"Dunno'. I guess it's just intuition," he shrugged, not lying there. He hadn't used «Libra» the whole time.

"Well, it would certainly save everyone if you could predict the next bosses too," the lass actually laughed, a wide smile present. "Seriously though, I never expected you to create such a… _unique_ guild."

She was trying so hard to hold herself back from mentioning the fact that the guild was literally composed of eleven girls. You can tell that she sounded pissed off from that.

"There's far more stranger guilds as far as I know. Just that you've never seen them yet," he waved his hand in the air. "We've been participating in the front lines, helping out to clear the boss rooms."

"Well, you'd better be careful and watch out for your own backs. You never know what's going to happen out there," her tone changed now, sounding worried. She was genuinely concerned for her saviour.

"It's okay. I'll make sure to keep everyone alive, no wonder what," he had promised—no, _sworn_ that he will the moment this game turned into a gamble of lives. That was what he promised himself and everyone here, no matter what. It would be too much of a burden to handle.

These people he has met, the ones he has befriended. He's fought by their sides since the very beginning, so he wasn't going to let them die.

He had a power that everyone else didn't have. He could change everything.

'Just like him.'

'What?' He blinked, looking around him. Was that..? No, that felt strange. 'Thought I heard something.'

"So Nier," Philia's voice brought him back to reality, a sad look on her face. "I, uhh… I've got something to tell you. And you're not going to like it."

"Please. The only thing I won't like is Klein's poor jokes about me having a harem," he scoffed, said man just about ready to make a retort until Lisbeth gave him a smack in the head.

"Well… I'd rather talk to you about it, alone," she narrowed her eyes at everyone else, not entirely trusting them. The only one should trust the most was Nier, and no one else. "So, can we just..?"

*Bam!*

All heads snapped to the front door, where a lone person with a hood masking his identity stood.

In that single moment, Philia actually felt her blood run cold, not because she felt that they were in danger, but because she just knew who this was. And just what she was about to say was exactly related to this man, but she wasn't ready to admit this fact to everyone.

And right now, with said man possessing a happy-go-f**king-lucky grin as he looked at her, she was hoping that she could have just passed out.

But the game was a d*ck, and it wasn't letting her faint. _At all_.

"Philia!" The man called, pulling back his hood. "So you've been here this whole time! Damn, lead me on a wild goose chase, girl!"

"PoH? Why am I seeing your face a bit too much nowadays…" Nier groaned, though he didn't hold anything against the man anymore. He was still a murderer, but he supposed even old habits die hard.

"Hey, it's not my fault that we're always in the same area all the time," he laughed, before his gaze turned back to the orange-haired girl. "Come on, Fi. We've got plans to make."

" 'Fi?' " The boy repeated, tilting his head.

"S-Shut up, God!" She screamed in frustration gripping her hair as she turned down.

"Wait a minute…" He looked at her, then back at him.

There were dots. He just needed to connect them. Looking at the familiarity between the murderer and the lass, he could tell that there was already a backstory behind them.

He understood then. What was really going on right here, in this house that they were temporarily staying at.

"Philia, you joined the «Laughing Coffin» didn't you?" He wasn't even trying to sound accusing. He just said it in his trademark blank tone.

*Chirp!*

So shocked everyone was, that even Pina had woken up in response to his words.

"W-W-Wait! It's not what you think it is!" She stood from the table, looking pleading.

"What'cha talking about?" The man snorted. "We're dating. It's super obv—"

*Smack!*

"I wasn't talking about you!" She screamed, slamming her her heel straight into his manhood. He felt his muscles strain, screaming voicelessly. He fell onto his back, colliding with the wooden floor. "And the hell? Got a loose screw or something? Why would I choose _you_ of all people?"

"So what..? You'd choose… Nier..?" His voice came out as a wheezing laughter, enjoying the immediate reaction he got—her body froze, fully stiff as her face turned bright red.

"S-Shut up!" Embarrassed and irked by his words, she stomped her way out of the house, leaving behind everyone else to just stare at her.

Nier was left to wonder just what he meant, PoH had lost all his pain and was now cackling like a madman, and everyone else got a good understanding of what just happened.

A new competition.

"So you've come here to actually help out with the clearing guilds. Then what about «Laughing Coffin»?" That part had him wondering just whatever happened to them, really.

As far as he's concerned, the only troubles they ever had were small groups of orange players, or those that decided to go full solo. That had him wondering what ever happened to the self-proclaimed 'red' players.

No joke, «Laughing Coffin» had been the biggest worries of just about everyone since their debut—pfft, debut. They were the equivalent of the Grim Reaper, wasting no time to go out of their way to take the lives of innocent players.

But the Reaper did so because he must. Because it was his duty to those that were already dying. The «Laughing Coffin», on the other hand, were bastards.

That meeting with PoH, in that large space in the hidden dungeon underneath the 'Black Iron Palace' had scared Nier. To think that so many people followed the man's banner. Despite Kayaba's warning, they still went on to kill others.

A bunch of inhumane people, if they could even be considered 'human' at all.

Right now, however, he's heard of no news about them. They had literally vanished into thin air, without so much as a notice.

"I left," he answered.

A thousand elaborations, either dramatic or flimsical, was already prepared in everyone's heads. Maybe an incident, or some 'purpose-searching expedition' would have sufficed, but for him to say it so casually was just…

Unexpected.

"You left," Nier repeated, earning a nod from the first 'red' player. "Okay, okay... Let's just... Calm down, Nier, calm down... Okay, I got this. Just... What?"

"That's all there is to it. One day, I decided to pack up all my things and just…" He made a 'poof' sound effect with his lips puckered, his hands imitating an explosion sound. "I guess it's your fault."

"Wha—Hey! The only time I've ever met you was back when I went down there to fight you!" He cried back, so confused.

"Yeah. And that's when I decided 'Screw this. I need a change'," he nodded, ignoring the confused looks from everyone in the room. Thinking them to be a bunch of dummies in need of guidance, he gestured a thumb to their leader. "This kid here said some stuff that really made me think about my life. Well, _this_ life, that is."

"What do you mean? What did he say?" Yuna was the only one that actually raised her voice, seeing everyone else were more than fine with just listening.

"First of, you need to understand why he actually came to me," he was humming a tune to himself, waving his hand in the air before pointing a finger at Sachi, who perked up. "You. Tell us why he came to me."

"Umm… You had sent out your members to kill Rosalia-san, so he went to you to stop him?" She spoke in a questioning tone, as if to just recap herself.

"Ding! Bingo!" He flashed her a thumb-up, before shifting his gaze to Lux. "You're new, so no," he moved on to Klein. "And did he win or not?"

"Yeah. I mean, you weren't coming after Rosalia any more, so we all thought that he won," Klein nodded in agreement. "What about it?"

"Well, you weren't there, so it made sense why you didn't understand what actually really happened. I said, if he wanted Rosalia safe, then he'd have to give something in return. Guess what he say?" Right after, he put on a slightly monotonous voice, imitating Nier's cool-headed attitude. How? By making a serious face and doing a hair flip. " 'I just can't. She's not a sack of Cor, or some rare ingot. She's a person. And every has a worth that far outshines everything else'."

"W-What? " The redhead in question blinked in response, looking slightly embarrassed by that.

"Damn, Nier! I knew you were a ladykiller without even trying, but you even got the smooth words!" Klein gasped, before prostrating himself before the young teenager. "Teach me your ways, oh Nier-sama!"

"Dude, call me Nier," groaned the black and white-haired player, before his attention turned to the ex-red player. "And how did you actually remember my whole line?"

"I had my ways," he answered simply, turning his head to the side as he whistled.

"I-I… Bathroom!" Shouted the sole woman of the guild, standing up abruptly and rushing off—no one missed the big patch of red on her cheeks.

"Kayaba really developed this game pretty well. Even added 'urgent bladder' into the mechanics," Nier whistled, totally misreading the whole situation.

"That's… not what actually happened…" Liz sighed, knowing just how daft the boy was. Still, that was what made him charming in the first place, right?

And she would have cursed at the fact that, right after she thought about that, her mind replayed the events that went down in the boss battle on that fateful day.

Of which Silica had accidentally gotten herself struck by «Odogaron», «Bleeding» as an effect. Unable to fend for herself, Liz had gotten to her side to protect her, but even she was downed by the terrifying beast, utterly defeated with just a few attacks.

She was so weak back then. But Nier… God, was he something.

He was brave, that was a given. He didn't buckle under the pressure, nor did he run off to some other place. He rushed the beast, fought tooth and nail against it, all just to protect them. And when he managed to save them, it became even better.

He carried them, actually carried them on his back and in his arms as he made a break for the entrance. And everything about him that had seemed so magnificent had intensified the moment they actually got closer.

A powerful gaze that would intimidate any man and woman. A gentle touch that sent the hearts of any of whom his hands brushed against to skip a beat. His natural aptitude as a leader, shown clearly in his worried gaze. His perfect beauty, both his hair and skin—

"Fuuudge!" The blacksmith was suddenly bashing her head in the table, repeatedly. Everyone else just looked at her as if she had gone mad, wondering just what she was doing. She too stood from her seat, rushing off. "Bathroom!"

"Did you guys hold it in or something? Do take turns, there's not an infinite number of bathrooms here, you know," their leader, yet again misinterpreting the whole story, snorted in amusement.

"Dude, it's okay…" Klein sighed.

"What?" He finally lost all sense of jest, genuinely puzzled.

"Just forget it," Agil shook his head.

"Wait, you guys know something. Nope! Tell me, right now!" He blinked for a moment, adding another word. "Please."

"Dude, you can just order us!" His red-haired friend laughed this time.

"No, no. I don't like ordering. Asking is better," he disagreed, arms folded in a defiant way. "What's going on?"

"I think it would be better if if we keep you in the dark," Yuna giggled from the side, enjoying the look on her crush's face. He actually looked like a deer in a city.

And the day ended with a frustrated «Blank» scratching his head, desperately trying to get the answers to whatever was going on, with PoH and everyone else just laughing at him, until 'Fi' returned into the house, muttering some apologies to her comrade, who merely waved off her concerns.

Such was a day.

* * *

The Next Day

"Go out with me!"

Okay, there has to be some reason why this was actually happening.

Nier had woken up a long time ago—he had been raised under the standards to always be up early, and punctuality was another important thing too—so he had been practicing on his 'Cooking' skill. Nothing exciting there.

But then he was approached by Yui, who asked him whether or not he had seen Tatl and Tael, leading him to answer her that they were currently flying in the forest. So he watched her leave the house, going to search for them.

Then Klein and PoH, for some absurd reason, were in the dining room, challenging each other in an arm-wrestling competition—definitely the former's fault there. And, with PoH having maxed out his 'Martial Arts' skill, he easily defeated the samurai, cackling.

Until he took on Agil, the battle being drawn out for a whole three minutes with Klein wearing a sh*t-eating grin and a happy heart as he cheered for Agil in the background, finally losing, with the samurai cackling in satisfaction.

God, did PoH want to beat the sh*t out of Klein.

And when all that happened, the entrance of the house was suddenly blocked by Philia and Asuna, both of whom managed to say the exact same thing at the same time, the former being determined and the latter possessing a nervous look.

Then they looked at each other.

"Uhh, what are you doing?" Philia asked, sounding rude.

"Just wanting to… go on another stroll with Nier," she said simply, trying quite hard to tune out the events from yesterday.

"What?! You went on a date with Nier?!" Yuna actually screamed at that, looking gobsmacked. Even the other girls shared a shellshocked expression.

"W-We just bumped into each other along the way," Asuna replied, chuckling,

"Aa-chan, so unfair," Argo pouted, a devilish thought in mind.

"Oi, Nier!" The boy looked to where a smiling Klein sat, before catching the thing he had through at him. "Free of charge!"

The boy parted his fingers, with a sparkling ring resting on his palm.

He stared at it, no expressions present, before placing it in his inventory.

'Well, who would have thought that it would actually happen?' He asked no one in particular, almost impressed by the fact that it did occur, just as Klein had thought.

God damn it, he should be careful around the guy. Probably a genie in disguise, like in Aladdin or something.

"Well, since both of you wanted to go out with me," the girls snapped their head to him, almost making him flinch. He managed to keep up his usual calm, thankful for that. "How about we just go out together?"

*Fwoo!* *Bam!*

The door was flung open, revealing an excited-looking Yui, with Tatl and Tael resting on her head.

"Ooh, ooh! I wanna' follow you!" She said, jumping on the spot.

"Hmm… Actually, you know what? How about all of us go together?" He suggested with a grin, ready to make this the best day yet.

* * *

Floor 61: Selmburg

'Did I say something wrong?' The boy thought at the back of his head, wondering if the situation around him was his slip up.

His intentions were extremely pure, everyone knew that. All he wanted was to spend some quality time with his guild, all of whom he'd rather call his friends, and even allowing PoH to join in. Obviously, the man was more than happy to oblige, following him like some fan.

The girls couldn't hold a grudge against him for not noticing their infatuation. They knew it was their faults for falling head over heels for him, but it was hard not to! Any simple woman would have swooned at him, so to be living with him for what would be years was just… bliss!

Although, the tension in the air had sparked after some of them tried to get him all to themselves, which he himself took as a friendly gesture to talk or laugh with, or maybe get a bun together, but as always he never understood why.

Asuna didn't mind spending the day with the rest of the girls, as she loved them all very dearly. In fact, she had forged a stronger bond with both Liz and Silica ever since Nier allowed them into the guild. It was just that she got too competitive whenever it came to their leader's attention.

Philia was certainly annoyed. Knowing that she lost her chance to be with him alone, now having to deal with the constant egging from her leader—that got him a few kicks in the groin—and the God awful jokes from Klein. Still, she was able to be with Nier, so she supposed it wasn't that bad.

And… maybe, just maybe, she was beginning to accept the other girls' presences. They meant well, but it was just hard to accept it since all she's had to deal with were snobbish players who saw her as nothing more than an extra.

In this world, she had developed a simple mindset, that there were two types of people in this virtual world of data; one were those that would forsake the lives of others, just to save their own skin. Sick bastards, they were, that she would have loved nothing more than to kill them.

But that would make her an orange player, and she didn't want that.

Two, however, was the one that she felt either tolerable and best. Best since it was the absolute definition of Nier, and tolerable—as those that had kind hearts were genuinely nice, just that she couldn't trust others easily.

Actually, thinking about that, was she being a yandere? Wow, she actually realized that all on her own.

'Still…' She stole a glance at the perfect person—in her eyes, and hands down everyone else's—unconsciously licking her lips. 'Everyone else likes him, so it's not wrong if I do too, right..?'

That thought brought a smile to her face.

Nier, on the other hand, was busy trying to pick apart this strange feeling in the air, all the while wondering if there were any places of interest that they could go to. Anything at all would be fine, but as far as he could see, there was either an expensive hotel, rows of homes or bards playing instruments.

Sighing, he decided to activate «Libra», scanning the area. As far as he could tell, everyone there, including his own friends, were outlined by a strong colour of blue, emphasising on their figures in this pitch-blackness.

That's what he gets for getting his level all the way to eighty.

There would have been something interesting, but nothing actually caught his interest. In all honesty, everything was just… bleh.

'Hmm?' For a brief moment, he would have sworn that he saw a black-haired player looking at him, but as he scrubbed his eyes, he was then confirmed that there was no one there. Even «Libra» didn't show their presence anymore. 'Huh. Weird.'

"Uurgh, 'Selmburg' doesn't have a lot of stuff. For as fancy as it looks, it's surprisingly boring. Unless you're here for sightseeing, I guess there's nothing to do," Klein sighed, his arms crossed behind his head.

"True. This place is supposedly a perfect place to go when you want a pretty sight, but other than that… Then yeah, nothing I guess," he actually agreed on that. "Well, what do we do now?"

"Don't ask me. For all it's worth, I think the only excitement we do have is going out to fight some monsters or something. But let's not do that right now. We're on break," the boy could almost groan, but he decided against it.

"Yeah…" Everyone just sighed in agreement.

Moments passed. With nothing better to do, Nier was contempt with just standing there, looking around them. There was a lot of people, all having something to do. But them? They were in the middle of the crowd, all slack-jawed and thinking what their next plan of action was.

Scoffing, Nier decided on something, rather than just spend the whole day like this.

"Okay, everyone. How about we go for a swim in 'Eryth'?" He suggested with a smile.

And said smile turned into a shout of 'Yes!' as everyone voiced their total agreements.

* * *

Floor 60: Eryth

Arriving at the floor via a 'Teleportation Gate', the large group of players took a trip to the entrance of the boss room of the floor, deciding that they were going to change inside there.

At first, the girls had been worried as to whether or not people were going to step into it, until Nier managed to reassure them otherwise. To quell all their worries, he had requested Agil and Klein to stand guard at the entrance to the room on floor sixty-one, ensuring that no one would step into it by accident.

He, on the other hand, would be making sure that no one entered through the main entrance, which was where he was currently stationing himself at.

Long before a plan to go swimming had been conjured, Ashley had actually tailored each member a swimming outfit, just because she said she had been struck with inspiration at the time and wanted to convert it into actual work. And damn, he understood why she deserved the title «Ultimate Tailor» in the game, seeing that she managed to complete swimsuits for everyone in just _two days_.

No doubt it would be impossible to reach that in the real world.

For PoH and Philia, however, they had to take a quick trip to 'Lindarth' to get their own swimming outfits made, before they returned here.

"Man, what I would do to just get a glimpse inside the room…" The 'Prince of Hell' licked his lips, with Nier not at all surprised that he was a pervert.

"Don't even think about it," «Blank» crossed his arms, blocking the man's advancements.

"Aww, come on! I'm a man with needs, my boy! In fact, I bet you'd like to see them as well!" He had the smile of a devil, that much was certain.

"I would, but only when they say so. Until then, we are to give them the privacy they wish for so much," that being his words, but even he wondered why people cared so much about it. Then again, if changing in front of PoH would turn him into a lecherous beast who would go out to grope and molest women, then it was better this way.

"Bah, you're no fun…" He grunted, an incoherent curse leaving his lips before he nudged Nautilus with his elbow, his smile coming back to him. "You must understand what I mean, right? I mean, wouldn't you want to take a look at Yuna?"

"W-What? N-No, I, ahh, d-don't," he stuttered immediately, eyes the size of platters and his face the colour of a tomato.

"Don't kid with me, man. I know you do," he did a few 'Tuts' with his tongue, as if he knew the answer to some forbidden spell. "Just imagine… That beauty, fully bare, and just behind these doors."

"I-I couldn't…" Already the images were beginning to settle in, and it was growing harder to knock them out.

"Those slender legs... That hourglass figure. That well-toned stomach. Hair, free from the hat she always wears, and..." He whispered into the older teen's ear, but Nier still managed to catch a brief part of it. "Dat' ass."

"AAAHHHH!" So embarrassed he was that he fell to the ground, bleeding profusely from his nose as his whole face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"PoH, leave Nautilus alone. If you end up filling his head with the devil's thoughts, Philia is going to kill you," at the mention of his own subordinate, the man actually shuddered.

"Please don't… You have no idea how scary she can get. Especially when she didn't get her alone time with you…" He was able to mutter that last part to himself, remembering just how many people she actually beat up to vent her anger before joining them.

A quick trip, really. Probably a group of seven or eight players.

After that, all else was fine. Somewhat.

And as such, there were a few things that he must do in his life. _This_ life, and possibly when he gets back to reality.

One, he must make sure that the young boy did not die. That was important, no matter what. Because he knew, that if it did happen, then Kayaba would have to deal with one rogue player f**king up the entire system just to get her revenge at him.

That would not be pretty.

And two, he would make sure to help her get together with her crush. Because, again, he knew that if he ever tries helping someone but her, then he was going to face hell.

And the actual Hell sounded much better than three nights in a room, bound to a chair and subjected to whatever torture his subordinate would have behind her sleeve.

"Hghh…" He actually shuddered, with the younger children wondering what was just wondering. "Don't mind me. Just… Let's just enjoy the day, eh?"

He was thankful that years of having been able to play things off cool managed to fool the boys. A mental sigh, and he was back to guarding.

Moments later, the door creaked open, and Nier found himself utterly surprised, the other boys possessing even more shocked expressions.

What was he seeing? Because he was sure such beauty was not supposed to exist.

And so much, no less.

"H-Hey…" The females of his guild, plus one all but greeted nervously, not at all composed.

They all were wearing their own swimsuits, all a variety of colours. The youngest ones, Silica and Yui, had dressed themselves in a one-piece, which was fitting for them, at least. And wow, words could not describe how beautiful they looked.

And yet, in the back of his mind, he could hear the voice of his best friend, whispering to him to not say anything—

"Don't say anything…" The whisper was there. "Don't say anything…" But then he felt as if it was from an external source, so he turned around, staring at Klein himself.

"Stop doing that. It's weird," the boy tried swatting away the red-haired man's face.

"Sorry, but seriously…" He leaned in again, a deadly look on his face. "Don't say anything…"

And right after all that, it was the men's turn to change. Being men, they required only a shorter amount of time, so it made sense why only two minutes had passed, whereas the girls were on a record of twelve.

And this time, fortunately enough, the lad was lucky that Ashley had made him something too. If not, then he would have not been able to join everyone, which would definitely sucked.

Stepping out of the room, being the first one to have changed completely, everyone were caught aback by his downright simplicity, yet it was pulsating with uniqueness.

A fully black trunks with white criss-crossings at the side, held tightly to his waist by a single belt—the «Master Tailor» made the waist size a tad bit bigger. Simple sandals, and a necklace with a bullet on it hanging around his neck.

The girls all could not hold back from eyeing every part of him, taking in the beautiful build of his avatar. How could he look this good in real life, despite just being fifteen this year? He looked so good with everything! Even the single ring that was there on his left finger—

Wait, ring. A _ring_. On his ring finger.

"Nier, are you… married?" Strea asked, surprisingly sounding rather serious. And deadly so, no less. Her eyes had been narrowed to the size of that of a serpent's, dangerously awaiting his reply.

"Hmm? Oh, no. It's just an accessory that Klein had gotten from God knows where. He passed it to me because he said he could," he shrugged, noticing how his simple explanation got sighs of relief from the girls.

*Creak!*

"We're here!" Klein, his toned body proud on display, shouted with glee, before his eyes landed on the sole woman of the guild. "Hot damn, Rosalia, you lookin' good!"

"O-Oh. Well, thank you," she nodded, looking flustered at that sudden compliment.

"Yup. And come on, guys! Let's get going!" Shouted once more the samurai.

It wasn't hard to get to the sea, since the entrance was situated on a beachside. And from there, all they needed was to dash towards the sea, ready to get the fun they knew they wanted and deserved.

And Nier couldn't help but feel himself a bit more normal, smiling much more like a kid who was taken on a trip to some fantastic place. And it was right, more or less, since he's never gone to a beach before this.

No kidding, the experience was going to be amazing.

* * *

*Splash!*

"Criminy!" Klein raised his arms to block his eyes from the sudden splashing, which came from the beach ball, drifting on the surface of the water just nearby. Huh, salty.

"Sorry! Can you throw it at us?" Silica called out from the side, standing on the beach. Some of the girls were playing volleyball, and Nier and Lisbeth were quick to set everything up. They even managed to create a ball to use.

"Yeah, got it!" He shouted back, taking the ball and smacking it towards their way.

"Thanks!" Her voice was raised so he could hear her, and catching the ball, almost falling backwards, she returned to the game.

"Hoi! You said you wanted to test yourself against me! Come on, show me what you've got!" Agil shouted at the younger man, who sent him a challenging look.

"You're on!" The samurai yelled back.

*Splat!*

"Whoa!" Yui jumped slightly when the watermelon that was placed on the sand suddenly burst into a million fragments, its pink flesh revealed. It was a bit more time before it all but dissipated into nothingness, with Nier getting pieces of the fruit in his inventory.

 **"Nice swing,"** Tatl whistled in amazement, watching from the side. His sister was sleeping on a blanket sprawled on the sand.

"Thanks," the boy smiled, offering the orange-haired lass beside him the stick he had used earlier. "Philia, you want a go?"

"With pleasure," she gave a bow, readying herself. The boy did a nod, placing a full watermelon on the sands once more. With a countdown, she raised the stick above her head, taking one more deep breath before she swung it down at full throttle.

*Splat!*

"Nice!" Argo whistled from the side, catching a piece of the fruit that her crush threw at her.

"We've got a lot more, so anyone else want a shot?" He asked, taking the stick from his friend with a simple thanks, responded with a nod from the girl.

"Umm… I'd like to try!" Sachi, the next person in-line, stepped up, taking it gently from his hands.

"Alright, go for it," he smiled, crossing his arms as he moved slightly backwards.

"Hey Nier! We need your help!" His head turned to where Asuna, Yuna, Silica and Lisbeth were at, noticing a broken pole in the process.

"That's no good. Okay, hang on," he pulled out his inventory, pacing through the slots before finally pulling out some wood. "Liz, help me out."

"Got it," she set down the ball, making her way to him.

After putting together the pieces, with a bit of cutting and hammering—with the game's assistance being of much great help, cutting down the time of effort—the volleyball net poles were all set up once more.

*Crack!*

"Oh dear!" Sachi pouted at the sight before her. Though she believed herself to have struck hard, it seemed that she only managed to get the skin to crack. Her 'Strength' stat was probably not high enough, it seems.

"Don't worry too much about it," he waved her off. "It's harder than it looks, so you'll just have to try again next time."

"Okay… Ooh! Actually, I wanted to see you playing volleyball!" Her previous frown was replaced with an expectant grin, with everyone else looking on with unhidden curiosity.

"Ooh, Nier in volleyball? He'd crush his enemies, flat out," 'The Rat' snickered.

"Sure. Who am I partnering up with?" The moment he asked that, almost everyone raised their hands, the only exceptions being Agil and Klein, who were both in a swimming competition, Rosalia, who was basking under the sunlight, and Yui, who was making a sandcastle. "Okay. Hmm… Yeah, I can't pick."

More like he won't pick. God knows what would happen.

"Umm, okay. Then we'll settle this with a rock-papers-scissors," the 'Vice Commander' of the «Blank» suggested, and everyone gave their nods of agreement.

After a long and tense game of what was supposed to be such a fun sport, lo and behold, everybody's bae—don't even hide it—Asuna had become victor, much to her joy and relative pride. If there was one thing she was good at, it was this game.

Nier's partner already fixed, it was now the next contestants. And surprisingly enough, it was Nautilus and Yuna who stepped up to the challenge, with both of them looking ready.

"Well, it would be an honour to fight you, Nier. And we promise to do our best," the swordsman promised, standing in his white-blue trunks.

"Yeah. Let's game," Nier nodded, a cunning grin.

Taking their positions, with their leader holding the ball in his right, gently brushing his foot across the pleasant sand, the songstress and her childhood friend stood at the other side, not letting their guards down.

This was certainly going to be fun.

"Start!" The monochromatic-haired boy yelled as he jumped, balling his fist before slamming it into the ball, the impulse propelling it forwards.

"I got it!" Nautilus shouted back as he leapt into the air, countering the attack with his own strike.

"Asuna!" He turned to her.

"Right!" She nodded, making use of her speed and reaching the ball quicker than possible, smacking the air upwards into the air. "Switch!"

"Oi! This is a game, not a fight!" Klein laughed from the sidelines, still watching with full attention.

Ignoring his friend's remark, and trying not to laugh at that—what? It was funny—he took her place, pounding the ball forwards. He watched as it threatened to drop down, until his fellow swordsman managed to parry the attack, sending it over the net once more.

Not about to lose just yet, Nier jumped in the air, actually doing a frontflip and forcing a strong contact between his heel and the ball, sending it crashing into the sand on the opposite end.

"Fwee! Fowl!" The samurai imitated a whistling sound, making a large 'X' symbol using his arms. "Dude, volleyball doesn't use legs!"

"Oh, whoops," he blinked, turning to Asuna, chuckling apologetically. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine," she giggled in response, rather impressed that he was able to do that at all. She turned to look at Nautilus and Yuna. "You guys can serve the ball!"

Taking the offer, the songstress was quick to sending the ball into the air once more, watching as it bounce on the net slightly and almost fall down to the ground, before her crush managed to slide down the sand, sending the ball back up into the air with his hands, shooting it to the other side as Asuna sent it once more into the air, switching with him.

This suitably deemed 'duel' lasted for more than half an hour, with both parties showing no signs of exhaustion. They attacked, reposte, and were more than ready to win the game.

It was a painfully long time later that it was, without surprise, Nier and Asuna who came out as victors.

On a mark of eight to two! Damn, dynamic duo here!

"Whoo! Nice!" His friends all but erupted into a fit of clapping, with the two perverted males of the group—Klein and PoH—throwing in a few whistles as well. And Nautilus had to admit, Nier was certainly great at the game.

"Good game," Yuna said as she hugged the other lass.

"Same here," nodded Asuna.

"You practiced before this, leader?" The swordsman asked as he tossed a canteen of water at the boy, who caught it with ease.

"Nope," he said simply, emptying it of all its contents. Finished, he looked at them, noticing their looks of utter disbelief. "I've done research. Does that count?"

* * *

That Evening

Every trip to the beach, as far as he's read in manga and seen in anime, usually ended up with the protagonist and his friends deciding to camp out at the beach, usually taking the moment to enjoy between a hormonal boy and teenage girl—he skipped those parts if it was more than just fluff—or to gaze at the stars. There were campfires, some songs if need be, and of course the food.

Now that sounded fun. And no one denied his request to stay here and do such a thing.

They set up their camps pretty quickly, with enough for all sixteen people. Four to each, so the boys will be sharing one, and the girls will divide themselves into three separate tents.

 **"So you're saying that you only knew how to play the game, and actually won it just by reading a bunch of blogs about it?"** Tatl asked, still not believing him when he added a nod at the end of her words. **"That's impossible!"**

"Mmm, maybe it's photographic memory?" He hummed, wondering if it was true. He wasn't sure to refer to it as photographic or eidetic, though they did possess a few distinctions between them.

 **"You are truly intelligent if so,"** Tael chuckled, sitting on Yui's head.

"Yeah! You'd be like, the smartest person to have ever existed in the world!" The bubbly girl added.

"Pfft, I doubt it. I'm no Albert Einstein, nor am I Akrit Jaswal, but I try," he chuckled in response.

"A-who now?" Klein tilted his head.

"Akrit. And never mind that. So, how was today in particular?" He changed the conversation with a wave of his hand, looking at everyone.

"It was perfect," Philia responded, smiling genuinely. The other girls couldn't help but feel their own grins forming, happy that the girl was beginning to warm up to them. "And… I guess I like all you guys too."

"Good to hear. Open up to more people, and you'll see more than you would have ever thought possible," the boy was, as always, passing down the words of a sage to everyone, and she was as grateful as ever.

"Of course," she nodded.

"I think we would have done well with more watermelons. There weren't enough…" Lux sighed, before returning her attention to her leader. "They were very delicious. Where did you get them, Agil?"

"They were growing in 'Danac' on floor fifty-nine. And in an abundance of them, no less," the man explained, earning a collective 'Oh' from the group. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty glad you suggested coming here, Nier. It was boring doing nothing anyways."

"Yup. And now, before we get sidetracked any longer," it was PoH's turn to take ahold of the conversation. "Nier, my boy, I have a request for you."

"Sure, if it doesn't include invading other's privacies," he nodded, still not missing the chance to just add in a few warnings.

"Oosh, your poisonous tongue knows no bounds, it seems," the man laughed, slapping his thigh. "No, but it's nothing all that devilish. In fact, it would benefit you much more."

He pulled Philia to his side, eliciting a loud yelp from the girl. Ignoring her desperate attempts to get away from him, as he kept her sitting to his side, he thumbed himself in the chest.

"Let us join you," he spoke. And, though it did take a few moments to actually register what the guy was actually saying, everyone soon found themselves gasping in surprise. "What? Think I'm kidding? I really do want to join you, ya' know."

"Hmm, you sure? I mean, putting your previous business aside," he didn't want to touch on the subject of «Laughing Coffin» in case it could sour the current mood. "Don't you have anything else you wish to do?"

"Yeah. Turns out, I'm a battle maniac who actually enjoy putting my life on the line. How funny is that?" He snickered. "And Fi here—"

"Stop calling me that!" She cried out.

"Doesn't have anywhere else better to go besides just following me. So, if I've a place to call home, that would mean that she would have one place to go to as well. So how about it? Would you let us join you?" He asked, smile still present.

The boy was ready to say something, but then caught his tongue.

PoH was actually hiding the fact of whatever happened to his guild, and before he would open his doors to the previous 'red' player, he needed answers.

"«Laughing Coffin». What became of it?" The boy asked. Surprisingly enough, PoH neither frowned nor made an effort to dodge the subject, as he had expected him to. He just kept on smiling.

"Oh, I left em' in secret. None of them really know what happened to me, so they probably think I'm dead or something," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Thinking about it, I'm glad if they think I'm dead. Wouldn't want them on my tail or anything after this."

"I see… Well, I've no reason to say 'no', so without further ado," he tapped a few buttons as he brought up his menu, eyes pacing past the selections. And soon enough, the familiar ringing sound resounded in the air, with both Philia and PoH looking in front of them.

Giving them a nod, a sign that he was more than okay with them joining him, both the ex-leader of the «Laughing Coffin» and his subordinate tapped on the blue button, officially registered as members of the «Blank».

"Yay! Welcome to our guild!" Ever the affable child she was, Yui was quick to hugging their new addition. Though, of course, it was Philia and not PoH, since he seemed like a creeper to her.

"Y-Yeah. So please, get off me…" Though she was slowly warming up to others, this sudden closeness with a stranger still unnerved her, so it made sense why she was trying to push the little girl off of her. Not that she was trying to be rude, though.

Nier was certainly happy with the turn of events. And he was willing to put PoH's sins and crimes behind him if he was going to change.

* * *

Later That Night

 ***Xenoblade Chronicles—Eryth Sea / Night (Play Song)***

"I can't sleep," he said for the tenth time, after he said the opposite for the ninth time.

The excitement that flooded him the whole day was keeping him up, it seems, and no matter what he tried—from counting sheep to thinking of his parents, the latter of which would usually work—he was still unable to get some shut eye.

Sighing, he got up, manoeuvring over the sleeping bodies of his male friends. Their tent was slightly bigger, so they were able to fit in all five of them inside here.

Leaving the tent, he was met with the salty breeze, cold and refreshing. It's definitely something he never got to experience before, especially in the real world.

Cooped up in his little safe zone, surrounded by cookies and books, his family, the comfort zone only bloomed his desire to know more about the outside world. What was it like to get a sunburn? Is getting a girlfriend really accomplishing? Could he actually make real friends despite his status?

He was popular as an icon, looked up to by so many people in the world, with some of them stating their wish to become just like him.

He scoffed at that. There was nothing good they would gain if they try to follow his ways.

Which was his own opinion, really. Every male would kill to have a harem of cute girls like he does.

"Nier?" The «Blank» perked up, turning to the left. Right there, lying with her back against the coconut tree was the 'Vice Commander' of the guild, still in her swimsuit—just as everyone else were. "Let me guess, you can't sleep."

"Yup. And I bet you couldn't too," he chuckled, making his way over her and sitting at the spot beside her. "So, what's up? Nightmares? Or you just want to take in the sights?"

"As lovely as staring at the sea sounds, all I can really… Hmmm…" And then she trailed off, sounding quite sad. He noticed this immediately. "Hey Nier, is it… wrong to bring up my real life story?"

"Eh, I don't really care about that sort of junk. In my opinion, the taboo is pretty stupid," he scratched his head with a shrug. "Maybe a player could help one another with their problems if they opened up, and that's what I want to believe. So yeah, if you want, I'll see what I can do?"

"Okay... And thanks," she whispered back.

A gentle smile. She had it on her. It was one that he knew she always had whenever she was grateful for something.

And so, she talked about herself, and Nier remained at her side, his ears wide open. And in this simple conversation, there was so much to her than he thought.

She was a girl from the Yuuki household, being the youngest daughter, with an older brother being the only sibling she ever had. Her parents had labelled her as the successor of the family, and they had wanted her to grow up in the best environment.

Her mother, however, was sufficed to say more demanding. Placing constant pressure on the girl, enacting a timetable upon her, which made the girl's life a living chore at times, everything only became worse when she found out that her mother had signed her name to be married to some guy she didn't like.

She was taught how to eat, how to dress up, how to act in formal and informal occasions, how to act in front of people, how to do this, that, and... How to even _live_. God, was it horrible.

All her life, she had believed she would be the one to find her true love—even she knew how childish it sounded, laughing at that. But her voice had grown sorrowful since she confessed everything, that she cared not.

Everything in her household made her want to run. And, when her brother got a copy of «Sword Art Online» and a «Nerve Gear», she wanted to at least peek into the world that got so many hearts aflutter.

In an ironic twist, she should be grateful since she didn't have to deal with her family. So why was it was she feeling so… empty?

"You miss them," he said simply, earning a surprised look from the girl, the water in her eyes slightly glimmering due to the moonlight. "What child wouldn't? We're all fighting to go back home to our family, and even if you said you weren't at first, I know you are now."

He paused, thinking on his next words. What may happen next is either going to ruin their relationship, make it better, or at the very least, keep it the same.

Mentally sighing, he didn't care anymore. After hearing all that she has said, he had to let this out of his chest, even if she wasn't going to like it.

"I'm always being lead by the hand, wherever I go. And I still don't want to let go of my parents' hands, no matter what," he looked down, the strength that had accompanied him since long ago feeling natural at this point. "And… I know I want to go back to them. It's what I want, no matter what. But I do know that sometimes, I should be able to do what I want too. And I'm glad they understand that."

Then he turned to look at her, serious yet gentle. How does someone even do that?

"Your family, forgive me for being blunt, should consider your feelings more. You're a grown girl. You're… sixteen?" She nodded at his words. "Sixteen, okay. Sure, it's young in our standards, but they should just let you decide your own life. This _life_ you refer to seems more like a schedule to me, and I don't like schedules."

"So you do everything at your own pace?" She managed to laugh at that, finding a sense of amusement from her words.

"Yeah. It's better because I won't be pressured by the constant need to keep up with some sort of timer or target," he shrugged. "So, when you get back, talk to them about everything. Rebel. Do what you want. Don't let them determine your life for you. You won't even like yourself. You look at yourself in the mirror at the end of the day, and all you will see is an empty husk. You ask yourself, ' _Who is that?_ ', because it's not you to begin with."

His words were unforgiving, unrestrained, but it was the most effective way to get the message across. And finally finished with that little speech of his, he remained silent, not wishing to say anything more.

As every situational novels he's ever read, the girl would need the silence to think, and so he did. He gave her this silence to consider her future actions, his words, the message delievered. It would be necessary for her to digest every bit of their talk, and come to terms with whatever she wanted to believe.

And when his friend spoke once more, he was taken aback.

"Thank you…" She whispered.

"What? Why?" Sure, he was trying to help, but he thought that he was being horrible. "I think I pretty much spat on your family's name. You're not mad?"

"No, no… It's just, you actually listened to my problems and not, I don't know, laugh?" She shrugged with a smile, at a lack of any other words. "I guess I'm just so used to thinking that no one was going to help me. Then you came along…"

"It was our meeting that brought us together. Fate, or whatever," he hummed with a smile. "But yeah, I'll always help you, or anyone for that matter... Mmm, you're welcome."

Then a comfortable silence draped over the two teenagers once more, the sounds of the sea's lulling waves and the crickets in the air ready to put these two to sleep.

And before Asuna had the chance to close her eyes, there was a light tap on her shoulder.

"Mmm?" She turned to her side, looking at him.

"Sorry, but there's something I wanna' ask of you," he said.

"Well, sure. I don't mind," clasping her hands in front of her, she wondered what he was going to say.

And man, this guy was shameless.

"Can I sleep with you?" He asked, watching as her expression turned from unperturbed to nervously worried.

"W-What?" There. The flushing was there.

"Sorry… I don't think I'll ever be able to fall asleep. Well, at least without someone, that is," he explained, eliciting a breath of relief from the girl. So that's what he meant. "So, you don't mind, right?"

"N-No. I'm fine with it," she needed something to desperately cover her face. Hell, she would have ripped off her swimsuit, but that would be pretty scary, even for her.

And the most daring, horrendously arousing thought entered her mind, her face burning even brighter with shame as a result.

"I-In fact… How about you…" She didn't trust her words, so she opened up her arms slightly, with eyes dropping to where her chest was.

"You sure? Girls tend to get quite finicky over this sort of contact, especially here," he pointed at her boobs.

"J-Just do it!" She screamed, not caring if she wake someone up.

"Fine," the boy sighed, getting closer to her. It was certainly stressful, she thought, and when she thought it would have been so much worse…

It actually turned a whole one eighty.

Gently, he nestled his head on her chest, not minding the soft fabric below. Making sure to keep his hands away from any unnecessary places, he then realised one thing.

It was really comfortable. Like some fancy pillow from a hotel, but better.

This new feeling was foreign to him, but it wasn't like he was trying to go beyond. He really needed help sleeping, and since she was offering to him, who was he to say 'no'?

And God, he thought that he _loved_ this. He was actually holding her by the waist, arms around her back just to keep her from running away. His body on hers, their breathing time, thus the time of which their chests would rise and drop, too was different, before growing to lift and drop at the same pace, growing more synchronized. Her own hair against his face was so soft, so silky and ticklish.

But he still liked this.

'C-Calm down, Asuna... Not like he's actually going to do anything perverted!' The rapier-wielder reassured herself, knowing that he was a gentleman by default, even if he is a weird one at that. Then again, everyone has their quirks, and his quirk just makes him more charming.

"Hey Asuna..?" The effect was actually immediate, with his eyes slowly growing smaller.

"Hmm?" She hummed back, smiling as she caressed his hair. Yui was right, it was so soft.

"Thanks…" And that was all that was left before he soon entered the world of sleep, forgetting everything.

And the girl, giggling at his cute face, wrapped one arm over her crush's back, with the other hand placed delicately on his head, before she too fell asleep.

And really, this was one the best sleep she ever had.

 ***Xenoblade Chronicles—Eryth Sea / Night (End Song)***

* * *

 **A/N: Heyaz! How you doin'?**

 **Just a few notes that I undoubtedly need you guys to know.**

 **One, was it really a shocker that I actually made PoH a good guy here? If any of you have read my previous 'SAO' fanfic, you would know too that he had quit his guild there too, except he never joined Adam or anything. I just wanted to make things different on this version, so yeah!**

 **Two, I am extremely bad at describing clothes. It's always been that way. Sure, I can describe a house, or maybe a weapon, but clothing? Haha, that's why I didn't put the details about every girl's swimsuits. That, and because there were sixteen of them. Too much words would be added to this already long story.**

 **And three, thank you _so much_ for every support. To all those that follow me, to those that take some time off to read this story and some others from me, thank you. I'm glad that some of you, even if little, actually read my stories. I'm trying my full best to satisfy all your needs, and to know that some of you actually enjoy my work, or at least acknowledge it, I'm happy. **

**And please, make this world of fanfiction much more livelier and give the other readers' work a go. No doubt, they worked harder than me to produce some really good-quality stuff, and I do like some of their work, so you absolutely have to check them out. Not sponsored, by the way.**

 **So yeah! Thanks for reading! Leave a comment if you'd like! What did you think about this chapter? Too weird? Too rushed? Feeling happy that all you Philia-lovers finally got to see her in action? Again, leave a comment.**

 **A bit of a note; «Odogaron» is a boss monster from 'Monster Hunter World'. And «Eryth» is a location from 'Xenoblade Chronicles'. Just wanted to point those out there, for all of you that don't know them.**

 **And as always, I bid you adieu!**


	16. Chapter 15

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 15: We'll Continue to Fight'`

 _Nothing ever goes smoothly. It's a simple fact that life has bumps in the road that either inspires or breaks._

 _Every certain achievement requires a test, a challenge to sprout the sense of accomplishment and heighten the skill of such a person. Even then, one must not remain complacent, as the path will only continue to grow bumpier with each progress, a given._

 _Nur Fate was a gamer who had been thrust into a death game against his own choice, and had steadily grown stronger through the oppression to continue fighting._

 _He promised himself that he would wield any blade to fight. And that meant the gift he had bestowed upon himself when he first stepped foot into the game._

* * *

Years Ago—Shibuya, Japan

It was a normal day, just like any other. His father, feeling quite generous and adventurous, wanted to take his family on a special outing for the day, stating that he got a raise in his occupation.

And all because of an extremely dumb situation.

It's simple. An old woman was crossing the street, just about ready to enter the building. And then, there was a banana peel on the floor. She never stepped on it, but he did, making hard contact with the floor.

Entirely misreading the whole situation, everyone hailed him as a saviour, even if he did try to tell them otherwise.

Then even more weird things happened. He had made what he had thought to be the biggest screw up in one of the pieces he was tasked to, only to be at the receiving end of praises from the rest at the studio, saying that it was an ingenious upgrade to the piece.

And on his way home, he had accidentally rammed his car into some other vehicle. Completely horrified of what he had done, it was then that the police had him leave his car, saying things like how he had stopped a crime from ongoing.

How the hell does that even work?!

"Dear, you should be a bit more… _loud_ when you're addressing your problems so that they actually listen to you," Layla giggled as he finished his story.

"I swear, my luck has been growing weirder and weirder with each passing day," Adam, on the other hand, sighed, with his young son sitting on his shoulders. "It's like the God of Luck turned my luck from 'regularly random' to 'extremely weird'."

"That just means that you are in the God of Luck's favour," Nur commented with a childish grin, somewhat sly no less, idly kicking his legs in the air.

"Yeah, all because of you," the man snickered.

"Are you accusing him of something?" His wife turned her head, leering at him.

"W-What? No! What I meant is to say that I got my good luck because of him!" He stuttered, worried that she was going to do something to him, until her smile came back to him. He managed to let out a breath of relief. 'Whoa, that was close…'

One thing for sure, his wife, though the most beautiful woman he has ever met when he went on that business trip to Malaysia for an arts gallery thing, he hadn't expected her to be so frightening. He supposed the fact that she hid it behind a mask of politeness and sweet smiles actually worked.

Still, not that he regretted asking her to be his woman, and he her man. It was the best day, second being Nur's birth.

"Nur, pop question. Who's the person who created the very first animations?" His father asked, and as always, his son was prepare with the answers already.

"I'm still not sure, since the history of animation is still so confusing to understand," the boy hummed, looking at a particular ice-cream shop. His parents noticed it, of course, and moved towards the shop. "But I remember… Fleischer and Disney. I'm still not sure about anyone else."

"Don't worry, kid. Take it slow, and you'll soon know just about everything," the man laughed, pulling out his wallet and putting a few paper notes on the counter of the ice-cream shop. "What would you like?"

"Vanilla," the boy answered. "No nuts, please. They're too hard."

"Yeah, got it," Adam turned his attention to the shopkeeper, before taking a cone, giving it to his son. "Please don't let it drip on my head."

"Mmhm," the boy hummed, barely giving a response as he readied himself to take a bite out of his treat—he knew that it was a bad idea as it made his tooth all tingly, but he didn't really mind—until he spotted a mess of silver hair from the corner of his eye. "Huh?"

Both Adam and Layla were enjoying their own desserts, but something had caught the eye of their child. Wanting to take a look, the boy made a soft tug on his father's hair.

"Yeah, kiddo?" The father asked as he casted a gaze upwards, seeing his son's face.

"I want to see something," he said simply.

"Kay'," passing his ice-cream cone to his wife, he set his child down. "Not too far, right?"

"No," he shook his head, knowing just how much his parents would worry about him if he ever got too far. "Watch over me."

"Of course. Just don't try to make it too hard on us," his mother smiled. "Now, go on. See whatever you'd like."

Nodding gratefully, the little child of curiosity, the very embodiment of wisdom and innocence, took off, moving to where he last saw the bushy white. He had to make sure that his parents would be able to see him, so he stayed out of the crowds, in case he might get swept along.

He searched around the area, knowing just how large Shibuya was. Even then, they were at the train station, and this place was filled to the brim with locals and tourists. If whoever it was could just manoeuvre past the crowd, it would still take too long.

He almost gave up on the search when his ears picked up distant sounds of… yelling? And the voices belonged to children, no less.

Looking to his right, it was from the stairs that lead down into the earth, where the station subway was located at.

He turned back, waving high in the air. Past the multiple heads, his parents must have been able to see him, seeing that they too nodded back, making their way to him.

"What's up, kiddo?" His father asked, curious.

"Just want to investigate something downstairs," he pointed into the large group of people. "There's something that's caught my interest."

"I'll say," he rolled his eyes with a grin. "Okay, let's go."

Nodding mutely, the boy began his descent, with his parents trailing right behind him. This wasn't all that rare of an occurrence, since it was his mother who had planted this sort of habit in him—if something caught you interest, chase it.

And he's done that every time, which wasn't a bad thing at all. They only worried that he'd get lost, so they were more than happy to come with him at every time.

Once he reached the entrance to the underground mall, which was filled with vibrant colours and so many products on store, he could hear the sounds of arguments. He recognised the voices to be the exact same as the one he had heard upstairs.

"Please wait here," he told them, giving his mother his cone. "And…"

"Don't worry, I'll keep it safe," his mother gave him a reassuring nod, added with her casual smile. "Go on, dear. Just be careful."

He kept her advice in his head, making sure that he would not engage whoever he would meet at the end of this pathway with violence.

He took slow and soft steps, making sure not to alert anyone in case they were a 'hostile', as he would say—he tended to treat things like some big video game sometimes, which was both cute and unique.

It was only when he was a few metres away from the corner did he finally hear the voices again.

"You're so damn annoying!" One voice, which probably belonged to a kid who was eleven, shouted with a really mad tone. Really loud, too.

"I don't see how I am. You're accusing me of such baseless things," the next voice belonged to a girl, who didn't sound at all scared. "At the very least, if you're going to something about me, I would rather you have proof on hand."

"Kid, just shut up and give us your money, already!" Another voice, the owner being a scrubby kid with a bloated belly, snarled with a lack of amusement.

"What's going on here..?" Fully prepared, Nur revealed himself, sighing slightly.

"Huh? And who the hell are you?" The first kid asked, turning around.

"I was just walking around in the mall until I heard some people screaming. It worried me as to whether a crime was in the process, so I had to look," the ten-year-old explained, putting in a bit of a lie there. Still, he did think the latter part of what he said was actually happening, so he really did go out of his way to investigate it.

"None of your business. Now scram," the fat one spat.

"It is now," the boy shook his head, pointing a finger at them. "I challenge you to a game."

"A game? Hah, why would we play with you?" The tall and skinny one, the first one, snorted.

"Because as far as I know, I have never exactly met a person who can never prove themselves through a game. None have ever bested me, and I find it boring," he feigned a bored look. "So the both of you aren't game? Pity. I've wasted my time for nothing."

Just as he was ready to turn around, the girl had called out to him.

"You're walking away?" She asked, voice soft and holding no emotion whatsoever.

"I'm not sure," he gave her a glance past his shoulder, staring at her. With maroon hair and bright yellow eyes, she was… whoa, how old is she? And was that a—

"Oi, what game are you suggesting?" Finally, a challenge.

"You guys can decide. I was the one that challenged you after all," the boy folded his arms before him, smiling. "Anything will do, really. So long as I have access to it, since I don't have a phone. Oh, and two on one—"

"Two on two," the girl from earlier said, joining his side. She had a blank look on her face, though her voice was slightly higher in tone than previously.

"No problem there. Crush two ants in one go," the fat kid had laughed like a madman for a moment there, before he pulled out a piece of paper from his right pocket of his trousers. "Now, let's see here…"

"You keep a list of games in your pocket?" The boy asked, quite confused.

"Ssh, don't say anything…" He brought a finger to his lips, hushing, before pacing his eyes down the list. "Okay, let's see… Alright! A game of red hands."

"Oh dear," finally, a hint of concern in the girl's voice, even if very little.

"Yeah! That one's the best game there is!" His thinner friend agreed with much vigour.

"Very well then. A game of red hands it is," the boy sighed, knowing that he'd have to put in his all if he was going to win this one.

"Ho? You're actually going to accept the game?" The two boys smirked with amusement. "Most kiddies run home to their mommas crying."

"The least I can do is participate in a game. I promised myself to be the best gamer there is in the world," he said without so much as sounding nervous.

"Well, brave as you are, you ain't getting out of this one now," he snickered, clapping both hands together. "Get ready to feel pain."

"We have not decided the results of the game yet," she said. "What we would get at the end of the game."

"Ehh… Okay, if you win, you kiddies can just leave, and we'll never disturb ya' ever again," one of them pressed a thumb to his chest, smirking. "Most guys would just wimp out, and since you're not, I may as well treat you fairly, eh?"

"And if we are to lose, you may take my wallet," the kid decided.

"How much?" The chubby one asked, interested.

"Enough to buy three a bungalow," the boy answered, getting gobsmacked expressions from the other two males.

"Deal!" They shouted in unison.

"Good," he tucked back his black and white hair, ready to start the game until he received a tug on his sleeve from the girl beside him, who looked to have something to say.

"There is a saying that I remembered. They always say it before a game begins," she spoke, backing away from him once more. " 'Asciente'."

"Asciente…" He repeated, testing the words in his mind. And he found himself actually liking the word. "Huh, okay… Asciente."

"It means 'I swear by the covenants'," she said, before turning to the two. "Also, do we play by taking turns?" She directed her question at the other two.

"One of us take one of you on. Easy as that," the first boy shrugged.

"Fine, then. I'll take… you," Nur pointed at the one who was overweight. "You'll go first."

"Sure? Well, your funeral," he snickered.

Taking their positions, they held each other's hands in a handshake position, readying themselves to play.

This game was certainly an extremely terrifying one, even by name. The simple game pitted players against each other in the role of slappee or slapper, constantly shifting the role between one another.

The game itself was simple. The slapper was on the offensive, striking hard at the back of his target's hand, seeing how much damage they can deal. The slappee, on the other hand, would be on the defensive, needing to steel their nerves and wits to face the oncoming onslaught, survive it and become the offensive.

In another variation of the game, it consisted of dodging, but they weren't playing this game. They were taking the game head-on this time.

Smiling, the boy was itching to slam his hand down. With big, meaty hands, he would be possible to cause a higher amount of pain due to the size of his hand's surface area, thus delivering even slower blows. It reminded him just why he was happy to be big-sized, even if others mocked him for it.

Nur, on the other hand, was still just ten, relatively too young to play such a lethal game. His hands were small, and no doubt something as big as this guy's hand would cause too much pain to him.

This battle was one-sided, he realised, with himself at two obvious disadvantages; he had thrown away his chance to strike first, which was especially important in chess. The other one was that he possessed smaller hands, so he would not be able to last long and hit hard.

The young boy with strands of black and white held himself back from smirking, more than ready to make this game his win.

He promised that he would be the best gamer, after all.

"Here I come!" A short warning—

*Slap!*

Before the larger boy's hand came crashing down on the little hand he was gripping, his large fingers and hand covering the entirety of the back of his hand. When he lifted his hand away, the skin that was once pale was now scarily bright red, looking painful.

The girl actually flinched, looking worried. Her expression turned into a surprised one when he displayed no pain on his face whatsoever.

There was no tactic to this game, really. The only best way was to get both the first strike, and deal as much damage as the player could afford. It would either weaken his opponent's will, either to hit back or just run away out of fear.

But here, Nur had practiced the arts of hiding emotion. Right now, however, he didn't need to do anymore. The stinging pain would make his hand numb for a while, but the usual instinct to flinch or hiss was replaced with his want to laugh.

And soon enough, unable to hold himself anymore, the chuckle left his lips.

"What's so funny?" The smirk the older boy once had was now gone, replaced with a dangerous leering.

"I'm surprised. You looked strong, and I had been preparing myself for the pain. And yet, this…" He turned over their hands, revealing his bright red mark. "It's utterly poor."

"Tch… Not like you can do any better," he scowled. 'This kid's all talk. He'll hit soft, and all I need is just hit harder. Then he'll see who's the king.'

That's what had happened before. Those pathetic children who was able to take the first hit just laughed at him, calling him a wimp. That attitude didn't last, usually after the third strike. They went home crying, just as he and his friend would laugh at them, mockingly.

This would be the same.

Unperturbed, Nur turned their hands once more, revealing the older boy's. Without wasting a moment, he lifted his hand into the air, slowly, like a piece of iron bar being hoisted upwards by a crane.

And then he looked into his opponent's eyes.

And the older boy _shuddered_.

Those eyes. There was something unnatural about them. They were purely black, but there was so many things that were being displayed in there. He was talking to him without even needing to part his lips, let alone say a thing.

He didn't smile. He didn't wink. He didn't flinch. He didn't shake the hand. He didn't look away. He just stared at him.

Those eyes scared him.

"Asciente," he uttered, and without further ado, he brought his own weapon down.

*Slap!*

"Khh..!" The boy actually gripped his wrist, teeth gritted as the sudden pain appeared and left in the blink of an eye, but the aftereffects lingered, replacing his previously brown skin with a tint of red, painful. "T-The hell..?"

"One must understand that size and power doesn't necessarily make one a king," the boy said, continuing to stare at him. He almost felt like screaming in fear.

"Indeed," the girl at the sidelines, with her future opponent beside her actually looking terrified as well, nodded in agreement. "Humanity, the weakest race, has continued to thrive in a world of corruption and war because they are weak."

"And being weak, they master the arts of their determination, pacing though the sharpened weapons of the strong. Their will alone, with enough practice, will send the world crashing," he was speaking with such a monotoned voice, but it held the tone used by a king. "I know I'm weak, and that's why I'm winning."

"B-Big talk..!" His voice cracked at the last second, and he rushed his second attack, yet it had left even a smaller effect than previously.

"Forced into a wall, men will either cower or break their way out. The strong, however, will crumble under their own weight when faced with the weak, due to the shell-shock they face when facing the weak. The unpredictable," he lectured once more, bringing his hand into the air and swinging down.

*Slap!*

"Gah!" He shouted in pain, hand trembling. 'W-What the hell is with this kid..?!'

"Your turn," there was a challenging tone behind his voice. "You can't be complacent with your past victories. Keep moving forwards."

With a snarl, the boy struck the younger one's hand once more, and his eyes almost watered at the instant reposte the boy had dealt.

That attack was far too quick, his eyes hadn't been able to follow the movement of his lithe hand. In fact, he hadn't even seen it coming, nor did he expect it to be so quick. The boy was too dangerous, far too…

He's not human!

"Damn you!" In a moment of hesitation, he let loose his attack, willing every strength into this last hit.

Yet the only effect it got was another smile from the boy, one that reached his eyes. He wasn't afraid, and he was actually fine. He wasn't hurt!

How the hell..?

"Checkmate," the word came out so easily, so smoothly. Like a cunning fox that had captured its prey, played its card well until it caught him by the noose. He raised his hand, fingers parted.

*Slap!*

"F**k!" Unable to hold anymore, he finally swore as he pulled his hand away, clenching his wrist and trying to rid the pain by blowing at the red surface.

"D-Damn…" His friend shuddered, watching with morbid curiosity as his friend gritted his teeth, hissing through them. He turned to his left, yelping when the girl was staring at him.

"Our turn," she said, offering him her hand.

"A-Ahaha! On second thought, I think we'll take our leave!" He gushed, uncontrolled as he rushed to his friend, pulling him away. "We'll leave you alone now bye!"

And his rushing footsteps soon turned empty, now leaving those two children behind.

Nur turned to the girl, waving at her, a smile on his face despite the whole skin on the back part of his right hand being purely red.

"I'm Nur Fate," he introduced himself, not caring the fact that he had just saved some stranger. It's natural, is it not?

"Shuvi," she was the one to greet him next, walking to him.

Unbeknownst to the two, the parents of the boy watched with smiles on their faces, happy that their son had bested someone without needing to use violence—although it was debatable since it was a game of hurting each other's hands, but hey, who cares? He saved a girl.

And man, did he look cool doing so.

* * *

That Night

Nur had been tucked away earlier, utterly tired with the whole ordeal. The feeling of his pillow underneath his head had him snoring quietly in a matter of seconds, without himself knowing it. It made sense, since he was already asleep by then.

Adam had been impressed with what he had seen. Did Nur really mask his pain, or was he actually immune to the pain? When asking his son that question, the boy merely answered with a simple 'I activated a damage nullifying skill'.

Man, was he lucky. What he would give to be able to master that skill as well. Then he'd be able to do all sorts of cool things.

Layla was more than happy to offer Shuvi a home to go to, as she had explained herself currently possessing no permanent residence. However, after an accident, husband and wife gasped as they stared at the girl.

She, in turn, had requested their assistance in something.

"You are a doctor," the girl said, voice so soft that it would have been mistaken for a mouse's. "I need your help with something."

"Umm… Sure, I can help. What's the matter?" The mother asked back.

"Humans often say that they would do anything for their loved ones, and I seem to have found such a person in my own life," she began, eliciting questioning looks from the two adults. "She is in a state that cannot be mended by simple methods. As such, I request the help of a professional in a human's biology."

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" Adam asked. "You said 'humans'. You're one too, you know."

"I am not," she shook her head. "And I ask that you do not, as they put it, freak out. The both of you, more specifically your son, has won my trust, and I see no better reason so to explain it to you."

Not giving them any other words, she pulled back the hood of the ragged clothes that covered her, revealing such a pretty face… and strange mechanical-like things protruding from the side of her head.

Then, as if it wasn't enough confirmation, she let the whole thing fall down. And, while any man's normal instinct was to either scream in embarrassment or mentally grope the girl—Adam wasn't like those lecherous bastards out there in the world, so he clearly wasn't going to do such a thing, especially if he was going to set an example for his son—but he was more focused on what he was seeing.

His eyesight was still good, so he didn't need to wear glasses. It's just that he had a liking towards it, so he had been wearing those that were actually fake, just for the effects.

And right now, he was staring at a 'girl' with beautiful maroon hair, cute yellow eyes, and everything not human. Iron-plated shoulders, with the sides of her body completely revealing flickering lights and polished metal. From her back, somewhere around the waist, there were tendril-like tails that looked like they could stick in a socket or something.

Eyeing her for a moment, both completely surprised and quiet, with the 'girl' not saying anything at all, the man soon came to a conclusion.

"You're a robot," he said, the surprise still not leaving his voice.

"Correction; I am an Ex-Machina," she replied. "Codenamed; üc207Pr4f5t9."

"Seriously? That's super long, even for you," the woman blinked, tilting her head. "Then how did you get the name 'Shuvi'?"

"The person of whom I had referred to earlier requested that I be called that," she answered. "She said that it would be much easier."

"No kidding. Your codename is way too long to memorize," Adam rolled his eyes, chuckling. "In any case, you're an Ex-Machina. Who made you?"

"I am not certain. My databases does not contain such knowledge," she shook her head in response. "And, as an addition to your information, I am a Prüfer, a group of Ex-Machina who are good at analysing. I am not fit for battle."

"Uhh, we're not going to throw you into a war or anything," Layla blinked. "In any case, you said that someone needed my attention. Where is she now?"

"She is in a building approximately 3612 metres away from here, located northwest from here," she answered.

"The hospital. Okay, but wouldn't that mean that she's being treated right now?" The wife's question was met with another shake of the head, but with a frown this time.

"The people there are not healing her. They are merely maintaining her condition," her words would have been said to be the same, but Layla knew better.

To say it simply, she was trying to put a contrast between those two explanations by comparing them to the malay terms 'pemeliharaan' and 'pemuliharaan'—thank God she had been focusing in her malay lessons.

One was to maintain, while the other was to heal. Both, if weld properly, would ultimately create a perfect state of a thing. But right now, to put it into simpler words, whoever Shuvi was referring to was dying, and they were merely maintaining her in that condition, keeping them barely alive.

She wanted to just scoff. How could they do that? Was a child's live so unimportant?

Wait, what was their age anyways?

"How old is this person?" She asked

"She is two years old this year," the Prüfer answered, getting gasps from the two parents.

Maybe, just maybe, if it was an adult, it would have been understandable. If the person was an elder, then it could be forgiven, despite how cruel it sounded. But two years old… She was still a child!

And it was a given that the two of them shared a love for all children, no matter what. And this was just… absolutely horrible!

"Very well, we'll help," Layla decided immediately.

"Thank you. But I ask that you do not bring her out of her containment area. The disease of which she faces is very easy to spread, and infects anything extremely quickly, so you must be sure to be protected," she explained.

"Got it. I'll make sure," she nodded.

And thus was the life of a woman, who had been married to a wonderful man of Japanese blood, who had brought such a beautiful life into the world, who would soon devote her life to treating a simple babe, her ageless 'twin sister' ever at the ready to provide support.

* * *

Present Time

"No way!" Suguha gasped.

"Indeed. My sister, who had discovered me years ago, had found mama to help me," Shiro nodded in return, looking at the black-haired woman. "Thank you, mama."

"It's fine, Shiro. I'm just happy that you're healthy and fine now," she giggled back, before sighing as her attention turned to the television, feeling her heart almost pounce of her chest at the sight before her.

Her son, who had been raised in a pure environment, where he had been raised up to be a fine boy, untainted by lecherous thoughts, was actually sleeping with a girl.

Literally, not in the way most would think.

He had asked Asuna, out of the blue, to sleep with her. Initially nervous, it was Asuna who had intensified the whole situation, offering Nur a pillow in the form of her chest. And while he was respective of her, saying that he would rather not if for the sake of her comfort, he took it after she practically screamed otherwise.

God, they just… They looked so cute together! Like a couple from the manga she's read when she was still a teenage girl!

The lass's mother, on the other hand, was painfully obvious in restraining herself from biting her nail or scream in frustration. Her daughter was actually doing something so unlady-like such as this, and she would have commented even further, before stopping herself short.

Because she knew that she was going to make the mistake of saying that everything was the boy's fault, when he had done absolutely nothing. And even if he did do something to get the flow moving this way, the mother of said child was in the room.

The first time had absolutely scared her sh*tless. There would be no second time.

Shouzou let out a breath of relief that he didn't realise he was holding in. Guess the fear of having to be witness to what could be described as an overprotective mother's wrath be unleashed in this house had been strongly holding him.

Thankfully, no other neighbours would ever complain, since they too were too scared to even say anything.

"So, how does Shuvi look like?" The young Kirigaya asked, curious.

"She looks absolutely like Shiro over there," Adam Fate appeared from the kitchen, sporting his casual grin as he held a can of coke in his right hand. "But with dark-purple hair and, well, being purely robot, even if the right term is Ex-Machina."

"Dear, don't make fun of our daughter like that!" Layla chuckled, knowing that he meant well. "In any case, Shiro, when did she say that she would be coming?"

"Nee said that she'd be back tonight," she answered, taking a look at her phone when she noticed the familiar beep of a notification.

And then, Suguha couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her little friend, as she suddenly dropped her phone onto the carpet, her eyes being the size of platters and very shaky.

She would have wanted nothing more than to look at whatever was on the phone, but she respected her friend's privacy, even if the curiosity was gnawing at him.

"Nee's in the hospital," she spoke suddenly, breathless, before her eyes narrowed slightly. "And went to visit Nii."

"Well, we're about to see her much earlier than we thought then," her father sipped his drink, not at all surprised. The amused grin said otherwise.

* * *

Knowing that she was not at all human, as well as the added knowledge that the people would utterly freak out when they find out about that one little fact about her, she had brought with her her robes once more, somewhat strange-looking. But she did not care.

Going down the hallways, taking the staircase—because she knew the elevator would be filled with people, and she was trying to avoid as many people as possible—she soon arrived at the front of a hospital room.

Looking at the green label near the doorknob, she hummed. It said 'Nur Fate'.

"Here," she muttered to no one in particular, twisting the knob open and stepping into the room.

It was just her and the unconscious boy, his hair having been trimmed constantly. Even then, it would not stop growing, and it had reached his waist again for the umpteenth time.

She loved playing with his hair. It was so soft, and she soon understood why mother always kept his hair long.

She walked to the side of his bed, sitting at the side. She had been designed to be quite short, and being a non-human that did not experience growth had resulted her in this forever state. Not that she minded it one bit.

"Nur," she called, knowing that he wasn't going to respond. She caressed his face, feeling his baby-smooth skin with her fingers. She pouted, wondering why her cute and handsome brother had such nice skin.

Unable to hold herself, she closed her eyes as she leaned in.

*Creak!*

The door swung open, and the group of people managed to get a glimpse of what just happened.

Her lips made soft contact with his forehead, leaving a short, loving kiss before she pulled back, her yellow eyes gazing at his face.

"Nee!" The Prüfer turned to the source of the voice, noticing her pouting sister. "No fair."

"Ahh, Shiro. You're here," the mechanical human greeted her sister with a smile. She turned to her two parents, who had been kind to take both her and her sister in. "Mother, father, hello."

"Hey there, Shuvi. Couldn't help it, huh?" The father chuckled, leaning against the frame of the door.

"I was passing the area. I wanted to see Nur," she nodded in conformation, before turning to her brother. "He's still sleeping."

"Wow, she's really pretty…" Suguha gasped, now quite jealous that these two girls were natural beauties. How could they be so perfect-looking?

"Wait a minute. What does Shuvi do when she's not home?" Minetaka asked, panting slightly. With Shiro rushing towards her brother's room, Suguha had of course ran after her. To keep up with them was just trying.

"She usually goes out to patrol the country. Says that she wanted something to do," Layla shrugged.

"And I have come to a final decision," the Prüfer spoke up then, standing now. "I wish to remain by Nur's side."

"That's not fair, Nee. Shiro was going to do that," the girl pouted once more, with her older friend surprised by just how loving she was towards her brother despite them never really interacting before this.

"Then the both of us can do that," the older twin replied. "Until then, I shall resume my duty, until our brother returns to us."

The loving gaze both sisters sent the sleeping form of their brother's way was respectable. How they love him so much, she would admit she doesn't know, considering the fact that her silver-haired friend had never met him before.

But Shuvi was an exception. He was the one that she met first, that had actually offered his help. Even if they were strangers, he went out of his way to help her, without asking nothing in return.

Such an admirable person, he was. And who knows? Maybe he was good at kendo.

"As much as I would love to keep the conversation going," Adam coughed into his fist. "There isn't a television here, so if you want to keep watching your brother, we could just go home now."

"Very well. Then I shall return home with you," the purple-haired girl nodded, taking her younger sister's hand as they walked. "Let us go."

"Hai," she nodded back.

* * *

The Next Day

"Mhhgh…" Asuna slowly stirred from her slumber, shutting her eyes to readjust to the blinding sunlight that was directly aimed at her.

After a while, she reopened them, noting the hard surface behind her. Looking upwards, there was the large canopy of a coconut tree, giving her just the faintest of shades.

Looking around her, there was sand and water for as far as her sight would allow. The scent of the salty waters reached her nose, and it was surprisingly pleasant. Not like whatever she had thought before.

Yawning once more, she wanted to stretch her body, until she felt her body rather heavy.

Looking down, she didn't scream or pale. But instead, she smiled warmly.

Nier.

The memories of last night replayed in her mind, reminding her of the events that occurred. How he had remained by her side, listening to her problems despite it being a taboo to speak of reality to each other.

It was so embarrassing yet wonderful that she felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Hmm… Warm…" Mumbled the boy in his sleep, unaware that his friend was already awake, playing with his hair.

'He really is like a little child…' She mentally giggled, enjoying the adorable sleeping form of her crush. It was hard to imagine him like this, since he looked so skilled in battle.

If it was Yui, or even Strea, or Silica, then it would have been understandable. But here he was, at his most vulnerable self, sleeping so cutely.

God, did she want to hug him.

"Mmhh… Asuna?" He raised his head slightly, peeked an eye open, looking at her for a short moment.

"Hi," she whispered, voice so angelic and soft.

"Hnngh…" And then, he laid back on Asuna, the girl yelping, blush growing.

"N-Nier," she knew that he had always been up and about far earlier than everyone else, having gone out to do some training by his lonesome without anyone's knowledge, but she didn't expect him to be the opposite of a mornings person.

Oh jeez, was he cute. But they can't just stay here forever, as much as she would have loved that.

"Hey, come on. Everyone needs their leader to be up now," she gave him a bit of a shaking, trying to get her off of him. "Let's go."

"Nggh… But I wanna' stay…" He mumbled back, sounding so unlike his usual self. Like a spoiled child wishing everything to go his way.

"Another time, Nier. For now, you need to get ready," she whispered into his ear.

"Hwaah… Fine…" He yawned, not even going to voice his complaints.

Shakily standing up, he was smacking his lips with his eyes still screwed shut, unseeing the world around him. Thankfully enough, they had managed to avoid any awkward situations as everyone else were leaving their tents at that time.

Yawning, looking refreshed at the same time, everyone had then turned to look at the scene before them, blinking in surprise.

"Huh? Nier?" Klein tilted his head, seeing something utterly strange.

"H-He woke up a bit late today. Mind helping me out?" Their 'Vice Commander' was slightly nervous, still grateful that she hadn't been caught with him.

She could just imagine it. All the girls just freaking out that the boy they also liked had been in the arms of someone else's. And though it felt like the perfect chance to brag about it, she'd rather not have to deal with an onslaught of murderous girls.

...Man, is that how she is like when he's spending time with someone else? Only then did she realize she too, as all girls in general, are scary.

The boy turned his head towards Yuna's way, humming.

"Yuna… Breakfast…" He mumbled.

"Umm, o-okay," she nodded, still surprised with how her crush was acting like. Not wasting time, she walked off to where the diminished bonfire stood, with Strea and Nautilus right behind her.

"I'm… going to…" He got a grip of the tree in front of him, standing up, though visibly shaky. His legs looked ready to collapse. "Get a bath…"

"Oh, no. No swimming, man!" Klein caught his friend before he fell on Asuna once more, slinging the boy's arm over his shoulder. "Just wash your face. You, asleep, in the sea? Not going to happen."

"Urhh… I can swim… just fine..!" He yelled, though that did not make his friend let go of him. "A bath… is definitely what I need right now, Klein…"

"Nope. Not when you're still this tired. Might get swept off to sea," he was certainly not a mornings person, apparently, so how does he still manage to get up early even then? That's a mystery, for sure.

The boy continued to voice out his disagreements, with everyone just watching with utter disbelief.

* * *

Floor 22: Coral Village

Returning to their comfortable living quarters on the beautiful floor they had decided to be their home, Nier was back to his usual self, though Klein could swear that having to deal with the teenage prodigy was far more stressful than raising a kid.

Seriously!

Just to get him to wash his face was extremely difficult. Trying to keep him sitting still was super hard, and he kept on complaining like a brat. And damn, was he strong in trying to get him off of him. Luckily enough, just to get him in his clothes wouldn't be too hard.

How is he actually able to deal with getting up in the morning when he's that cranky anyways?

Right after they got home, Nier was on the couch. Sleeping.

 _Again_.

"He sure is a heavy sleeper when he wants to be," Klein sighed, scratching his head. How would the people think when they knew the great «Blank», leader to the most popular guild—seeing that it mostly consisted of beautiful ladies—acting this way in public?

Well, it wouldn't really break his reputation, but it would certainly become a hot topic for gossip.

He could just see it…

"Well, let him be. We haven't gotten a break for a really long time now," Sachi said, getting nods from everyone.

Pushing all the way from floor sixty-one to sixty-five in one go was certainly tiring. Still, with the help from Nier, the battles they faced became simple to handle, though it did take quite the effort.

Even then, no one could deny that, with his «Binary» and «Monado», that with his guild and even himself, they looked as amazing as ever during the battles, pressing on despite the obstructions they had constantly faced.

Nier had the charisma to lead, which was a trait even Heathcliff pointed out to be an especially important one in leaders, which even allowed him to befriend such dangerous people.

PoH was one of those people.

Knowing that the players would continue to fear him, as long as the potential of him remaining as the leader of the «Laughing Coffin» remained on everyone's minds, Nier had then made sure to announce the man's official seat amongst the «Blank».

It was a risky move, no doubt. There could have been those from what remained of the red guild, but no one was going to harm his friends. That, he swore since forever.

The image of a beautiful girl with purple hair, bright yellow eyes and a lithe entered her mind, shifting to the time where he had been challenged by her into a simple game of chess.

And to think that she was not even a human, but rather a Prüfer, designed to be able to overcome challenging equations through infinite and fast analysis and calculations. As such, it made so much sense why she had beaten him.

He actually lost.

That was his spark. When he had thought himself to be the best, someone was actually being better than him.

And he was glad that she wasn't holding back. Though she held a proud count of 269 points, he was steadily rising once he's learned to think harder than ever, now at a good point of 183. Just a bit more until he reaches her.

And yes, a bit more. Their games, if they put their all in it, would end at an approximately twenty minutes.

They were just that good, and Adam wondered as to how they were still able to keep up with each other's movements.

Nonetheless, he wanted to play for the thrills, and for the challenges presented. And through these, he had managed to encounter so much amazing people he still believed himself undeserving of.

While, yes, they were in a death game, it didn't mean that they couldn't get together and do so many things together. Smile, exchange stories, cry altogether, fight against one another…

The «Blank» was a huge family of people from different backgrounds, of varying personalities and with their own aspirations. To be free of the burdens of their destinies? To live as they so pleased? To become better than their old selves once were?

Needless to say, he didn't care. All that he wanted was for everyone to get along together.

Right now, he had a duty to both himself and the people in this world. And if he was going to partake in the upcoming battles that would come, he was going to need his rest.

He's already worked so hard as it is, he deserved the extra time of leisure.

Then again, if someone so much as took their attention off of him, he'd probably be gone to do something else without them even realizing where he went. How does he even do that?

"Oh hey, since our leader's still asleep and obviously won't know what's going on around him," began PoH with a devious tone.

"I don't like this," Klein gulped.

"H-He may mean well," Nautilus chuckled, sweat-dropping.

"Let's have a discussion about your one and only, eh?" He slapped his thigh, and immediately the other three males of the guild couldn't help but cringe.

This happened already.

"And so," he cut off everyone who were about to say anything. "What did you think about his swim suit? You, Rosalia."

"M-Me?" The redhead was taken aback when he suddenly pointed his finger at her, who nodded back. "I-I'm not sure what to say. I-It was…"

"I think it looked good. Certainly fitted him, didn't it?" Agil nodded, looking sagely.

"I-It's a bit too revealing…" The bluenette of the guild chuckled nervously, looking away from the subject of their conversation with a faint hint of a blush planted on both her cheeks.

"True. Though you have to admit, the idea of putting a belt on himself is… kinda' cool," Liz snickered, not even trying to hide the fact that she was eyeing him down to up.

"Agreed! Not anyone would just do that, yeah," Argo nodded.

"Well, Ashley accidentally made the his trunks's waist size too big, so he had to use it just to keep it from falling," the boy's best friend added, gaining understanding 'Oh!' from everyone there. "I mean, just imagine his trunks falling down just as he played volleyball! Haha!"

"Umm... Klein?" The man turned to where Nautilus sat, gesturing a thumb to all the ladies.

Ahh, right. They're still embarrassed over what happened after «Mechonis», judging by how their faces suddenly lit up and burned bright red.

"I-In any case, let's just get some rest ourselves, eh? We're pretty tired, so let's just kick back..." Suggested Klein with a chuckle.

No one could agree no less.

* * *

Shiro and Shuvi loved their brother, they really do.

The older twin, having been rescued by Nur—though he simply treated it as 'doing her a favour'—she had developed a strong affection towards him. In fact, she already has dreams of marrying him—something that her sister seemed to pick up on, and agree.

The little girl with silver hair too possessed strong feelings towards her brother, even though she had never met him, seeing that she had been in the process of treatment by her mother this whole time, so he doesn't know her.

They loved their brother, and were fine with whatever decisions he made. Strong was their devotion to him, that they would never mind any action of which he would take.

But there was one thing they definitely didn't like. Not one bit.

"I don't like Asuna," Shuvi suddenly said with a hint of disappointment, earning a wide-eyed look from the ravenette. "She slept with my brother. I never got to."

"Same…" Shiro pouted, adorable as ever. Made sense. It wasn't like they spent time—wait a minute, that doesn't make sense.

"Shuvi, you still had years living with him. What do you mean you've never slept with your brother before?" Suguha asked, visibly confused.

"We had separate rooms," she answered swiftly, as if the answer had been burned into her memory since day one. "As such, I never had the chance to actually be close to him at night. So unfair…"

"Well, girls, if you still insist on sleeping with him, then you'll just need to wait until he gets back. I mean, you could sleep with him in the hospital room, but it's not like the doctors would let you stay overnight," their father chuckled, sitting on the couch opposite of them.

"True," both girls said in the same tone and time—in fact, their voices almost sound like identical copies of one another.

'And you look so alike too…' Suguha added in her mind.

* * *

The Next Day

After so much time spent training alone on the hills of floor forty-six, home to a wide array of monstrous ants that sized up to a tower alone—it was quite a dangerous floor, having taken the lives of many that were either careless or unprepared—the «Blank» had travelled to 'Horunka Village' on the first floor.

It wasn't necessarily unpopular, just that it was a hassle to get into it. The monsters in the area would have been treated as dangerously high for the players back then, standing at a level of six to seven, ready to kill level one players.

Funny. Right now, he was standing in this exact spot at level eighty-five, and he didn't particularly feel dread. Guess there was nothing to be afraid of if he was at this sort of level.

Plus, hacking.

'Wait a minute. Talking about hacking, have I actually used it nowadays?' He hummed, the realization having set in just now.

It was a boon he had created for himself just a day before the game had launched, in which he swore to use it so to give him the upper edge in battle. And yet, all that he has been using as of late was just «Libra».

He hadn't been giving himself stuff. He wasn't preventing his death. He didn't heal using his hacking.

Huh. He really has been sticking to the rules of the game without even noticing it.

'Maybe I should just start using it again. Just in case…' He thought with a grin, imagining just how fun it would be again to do so.

Still, if anyone ever caught him using such skills, with no possible explanations as to how he got them in the first place, he was certainly going to be labelled as a 'cheater' and be sentenced off to prison.

The again, it wouldn't probably happen, considering the fact that he would be defended by a massive horde of women—according to Klein.

That would, no joke, be a sight to behold.

"Oi, get your asses moving!" He perked up at the somewhat rude, yet familiar voice he had heard once, a very long time ago. Who was it again?

He made a turn to the right, finding the person who owned the voice. It was the guy with the spiky orange hair and that ugly scowl he remembered during the meeting to go up against the boss on the first floor.

Man, that brought back memories.

'But what's he doing here?' The boy thought, making his way to the guy.

"Tch, don't forget that we're the ones that are supporting the clearing guilds! If you're gonna' slack off, then you may as well go to hell!" The rude person was yapping orders at some of the others, until his gaze landed upon the boy, who had appeared out of a corner. "Oh, it's you."

"Hey," he waved slightly. "Didn't expect to see you here of all places."

"Yeah? You took the words out of my mouth," the man was certainly rude, for some unknown reasons. "The hell are you doing here?"

"I came here just to visit. Had nothing else to do," the «Blank» answered. "Everyone else were still asleep, so I decided to go out training early."

"Huh. Didn't think you were a morning person," there was a hint of surprise—although he didn't really know the story behind it—before it turned back to the common poisonous tone he used around people. Looks like that's just how he was. "In any case, you want to help out? We're carrying some stuff to floor sixty-five."

"Yeah, sure. I've got nothing else better to do," the boy nodded.

And as such, he and a group of other players, lead by Kibaou—as he had heard one of the players call him—transported all sorts of items to the sixty-fifth floor. A quick inspection showed that they were supplying the clearing guilds with food, equipment and even funds.

Huh. So underneath that harsh and cold exterior was a really nice guy? Hard to believe.

Not that anyone would notice, due to how much of a butt he was being. Then again, you could never judge a book by its cover.

After all that done, Kibaou had called him to talk about something, so he set down the pile of wood he previously had in his arms.

"Tell me something. Have you heard of the guild called «Golden Apple» before?" The man asked, sounding serious. Then again, he always sounded that way, so he wasn't sure if this was him being himself or actually being serious.

Argh, so confusing!

"Of course. It was a guild that was made up of at least eight players, formed during the first three months of «SAO». The guild disbanded a month later," he nodded, remembering this specific guild after reading up on it from some text he got from Argo.

It was a player-killing case, in which their guild leader had faced ultimate death at the hands of «Laughing Coffin» members, which made things even harder when he discovered PoH to have been one of the people to have done the dirty work.

Still, the guy had repented, even if he didn't seem like it. He was going to forgive him, no matter how hard it was.

Then again, he already had, so… yeah.

"Well, just recently, one of its ex-member's been asking me to ask you to to meet up with her," he said. "She said that she would be in 'Marten' on floor fifty-seven."

"Hmm, okay. I guess I should get going," he hummed, nodding. "Did she say just me, or can I bring along some of my friends with me?"

"Friends? Huh. You really don't see them as just your guild members," at that, he finally smiled, snorting in amusement. "Nope, she said she wanted to meet with just you."

"Okay. I guess I'll get going then," the boy nodded once more. "Thanks."

"Yeah," Kibaou gave a wave, before turning his attention back to the other players. There was still much to do, after all.

* * *

Floor 57: Marten

It was not that nice-looking, and certainly not a place he would trade his lovely cabin home in 'Coral' for.

The city was large, looking to be themed around an urban style, with the buildings situated so compactly to one another with narrow alleyways in between each one of them. He wondered as to how people could still like living here, seeing as it lacked much vibrant colours, in comparison to the other floors.

Still, the living costs here were far more cheaper than he had expected, so he decided not to comment on it. If people wanted to live here, then it was wholly up to them.

"So, where would she be?" He hummed to himself, already thinking of a few places he could try going to first.

There was the yaMahaya Lodge, a pretty regular inn that didn't charge their patrons too much. Then there was a simple restaurant there being run by NPC's, as well as a cathedral.

Actually, thinking about it now, did Kibaou even give him a description of the person he was supposed to be meeting with?

'Well, my fault, I suppose…' The boy felt his right eye twitch slightly, sighing lightly.

Still, if this person wanted to meet him, maybe they'll come to him? Ahh, how lovely that would be. Then it would save him so much time.

Deciding that he should not waste too much time here, Nier was already on his way to the restaurant, figuring that it was the most logical place to meet up at. And if she wasn't there? He might as well go all around the city.

It wasn't too hard to go look for her on her own. That is, if he could even recognise who the person is in the first place, of course.

Arriving at the restaurant a moment later, which was filled with only a few people, murmurs quickly spread throughout the restaurant, with him being the topic of the conversation, much to his chagrin. Not that he didn't like people talking about him, but…

He's just not so used to it when he's alone.

At least, with someone else with him, he'd be able to handle it better, but this feels awkward.

Staring everywhere inside the restaurant, he couldn't see a single person who looked anywhere close to wanting to meet him—how would one even look like? Sighing, he sat at the corner of the restaurant, deciding to just get something.

*Ting!*

"Hmm?" He noticed the sudden message. Blinking, he opened it, a smile coming to him right after.

 _"From: Argo,_

 _Nier, where are you?! You didn't tell us anything, we got all worried!_

 _To: Nier"_

Quite the friend he had. Then again, they worried about him, so the least he could do is just explain to her.

Tapping a few buttons, a message was formed, before he sent it to Argo, revealing his location. A reply was sent immediately, with her expressing her relief over that. At least he was not in danger.

Done with all that, he just decided to wait, drumming his fingers against the table's surface as he looked out the window. Clearly the abundance by the windowsill was enough to make him sick, further strengthening his desire to not live here.

Still, he hadn't made his order, and this place was a self-service play. So, should he go?

He wasn't feeling necessarily hungry, and there wasn't anything there that looked particularly good. Not that he wanted to look down own the restaurant, but it's the fact that he had already gotten himself a good breakfast this morning that prohibited him from getting anything else to eat.

However, just as he was about to go—

"Eh? Nier?" He perked up at a familiar voice, looking to his right. Yeah, the spear and blue hair gave it away.

"Sachi? What are you doing here?" He tilted his head, remaining sitted.

"I could ask you the same thing," she smiled back, yelping when two hands gripped her shoulders.

"Hi, Nier!" Philia greeted with the brightest grin she had. "Before you ask, I came here right after I heard where you were. Sachi here was doing some training outside the town area. She wasn't there when you gave us your reply."

"I see. Well, how about you girls join me? I'm not feeling particularly hungry, but I wouldn't mind the company," he invited them to the table.

"I'm in!" The orange-haired lass was the first one to sit next to him, sticking her tongue at her standing friend.

Pouting, Sachi settled with sitting on the other side of the table.

"So, are we ordering or not?" The boy asked, ready to stand up.

"Excuse me," a woman had appeared at their table, wearing simple blue armour underneath a light chest plate with some customized greaves and vambraces, looking ready to protect the wearer, yet retain all mobility. "Is the «Blank» here?"

"If you're talking about the entire blank, then they're not here," Philia said in stead of her leader, before gesturing towards him. "But the leader's here."

"Hey! We're here too, you know!" Sachi frantically pouted.

"So," the orange-haired lass completely ignored her friend's remark. "What do you wish to speak to our leader about?"

"It's, umm, I assume that you've received a request to meet you?" She said, sounding nervous.

"Aah, so you're the one. Please, sit down," he invited her to the table, watching as the woman seated herself beside Sachi. He rested his chin on his hands, looking calm. "So, what's up?"

"Ahh, right. See… I wanted to send you a request to you, but there's already been so much sent to you," the woman said. "In fact, I think a few of your guild members are doing a request as we speak. I just saw a girl with white hair, a rapier mind you, helping out a bunch of players with some hunting."

"Aah… Must be Lux," he nodded in understanding. "Is she alone?"

"Hmm? No, she's with a little girl with a dragon," she answered.

"Silica, okay then. At least she didn't go on their own," the boy hummed, asking the woman his next question right after. "Let's get down to your request. How can we help?"

"Well… I had received a rather disturbing letter from someone a few weeks ago, and I'm quite honestly scared… I'd rather you take a look at it, just in case," she said with a fearful tone, handing to him a beige envelope with a red parchment on the centre as well as a stain of ink somewhere on the top right corner of it.

A careless mistake, whoever wrote this was.

Sighing, he tore open the red parchment.

His eyes shot wide.


	17. Chapter 16

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback / Emphasis

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 16: New Name, Same Game'`

 _The «Laughing Coffin», a self-deemed red guild consisting of those who hunt for sport. Such was the danger they posed, to the point where every guild stood on edge against them, readying themselves to face off against such monsters._

 _Leader of said guild was a man of such, who had ultimately taken down the lives of many with his own hands. Putting down everything behind him, he now runs astray, fighting as his own man._

 _But the tales account of his ultimate oath to the «Blank». To cleanse his hands, and fight for everyone._

 _But what of his guild?_

* * *

Floor 57: Marten

The time waited for no man, watching as the swordsman who stood out amongst everyone else continue to read the piece of letter in his hands.

The woman who came to him was slightly grateful that he hadn't left the restaurant yet. It was kind of silly to not tell her where to meet her, as she would have rather it be at the yaMahya lodge, where she was currently renting a room at.

Still, the only reason why she knew he was here in the restaurant was because the crowd outside kept murmuring to each other about the «Blank» being there in the first place.

Funny. Despite him maintaining a safe distance from everyone, which meant that not many should actually recognise him, it seemed that the people still manage to get a glimpse of his face, thus knowing his identity.

For some strange reason, he had a feeling that it was somehow Argo's fault, though he would never really voice it out loud. He trusted her with his life, and as such, there was no way that it was really her.

Although, he had hit the nail exactly on the coffin. As explained before—I'm not even sure if I did write it, I forgot. Haha!—there had been a peculiar device in the game that acted as a camera which meant that anyone could take a picture of anything. And that was what Argo exactly did.

In secret, she had been using the device to take pictures of him, selling it to the highest bidder. Surprisingly enough, it was a really good business, and though she knew it was an invasion of his privacy, she made sure to stick to normal situations.

Plus, it spread awareness to everyone about who he was, right? Now, nobody would ever make the mistake of looking down on him. Although, there was the problem about the fangirls... She's gonna' have to take care about that someday.

Putting all the thoughts aside, Nier set the letter on the table, turning it around so that no one else could read it.

"…You're being hunted by the «Bloody Coffin»," he said grimly, possessing a look of distraught.

"H-Hai," the woman nodded, much more afraid. since this was her life on the line.

It seemed that, ever since PoH had escaped his own guild, the remnants of such a dangerous team had then decided to rebuild themselves, growing strong from the ground up once more. This time, however, though they possessed not the strategies of a cunning madman, they now choose to go for a more brutal approach.

Looks like they aren't active just yet, since he's never heard word about them before this. If this is the case, then it means that they're just in the process of getting ready. And to do so, they will start off by spreading the word of their renewal.

And what better way than sending a death letter to random players, telling them that their head will be hunted for?

Sick people.

"Well, this isn't good. As far as I'm concerned, under PoH's rule, they've managed to remain anonymous under everyone's radar," his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Huh? But everyone said that you found the guild's location. Somewhere under the 'Black Iron Palace'," she pointed out.

"True. But the only reason we knew where to go was because our fairy companions," at this point, everyone already knew about those two's existences. Just that they remained to be shy around other humans. "Already knew their location. That made things easy."

"Oh, okay," the woman hummed in understanding, noticing that the number of people in the restaurant was beginning to thin down.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they left the area to find a different place to set up base. Wouldn't do them well to know that they're sitting ducks, ready to get ambushed and captured," the boy shrugged. "Very well then. I know your situation, who we're going up against, and everything else seems to be in the clear. Right, you're coming with us."

"H-Huh?" She blinked.

"There's no telling what those guys will do to you if they—No, they probably know your location already," Nier took a glance outside the shop through the window. "As such, if you'd like our protection, it would be better to have you in our range of sight. That way, we'd be able to keep you safe at all times."

"Are you fine with that? Wouldn't I be a hindrance to your work?" That part had her worried. Sure, it sounded safe and nice, but if it was going to trouble them, then there was no way she would be joining them.

"Not at all. In fact, all we do is just kick back and relax, find some other things to spend the time, or do some other people's requests," Philia waved off the older woman's concerns.

"Philia, don't say it like that…" Sachi sweat-dropped.

"Well, this is the only way I see possible. Unless you have any others, I'm all ears," the boy decided, leaning back into his chair.

Then again, would she really have another stellar idea? If so, then, as he said, he was ready to listen in.

* * *

Later—Floor 22: Coral

"We're home," Nier said casually, walking into his log cabin.

Well, that settles it.

"Nier! Welcome home!" Yui rushed over to greet him, smiling as energetically as ever. Tackling him into a hug, she giggled as she received his usual pets on the head, which had became a habit for him nowadays.

It was hard not to love this bundle of energy. Always trying to raise the mood, smile and just being there made everyone's day. In fact, both Nier and Yui would agree that their friendship were extremely strong, even though it was technically Yuna who had met her first—everyone chalked it up to his charms yet again. Although, it was kind of embarrassing whenever she called him her 'hero'. Or, if she was feeling bold, her boyfriend.

Which, at this point, they all decided to take as a light joke, seeing that she had made no romantic advancements towards him whatsoever, which was honestly relieving for all the girls.

When a new face walked into the house, standing behind him, she tilted her head slightly.

"Who's that?" She asked, eyeing the indigo-haired lady.

"A client of ours. Her name is Yolko," he answered in response. "Philia, lock the door. Sachi, can you make us some lunch?"

"Sure," the bluenette was then seen marching off into the kitchen.

"A p-pleasure to be here," the woman did a slight bow, responded with a soft chuckle from the leader of this otherwise amazing guild.

"Relax. We're all equals here, whether you like it or not. Just feel at home," he pointed to a couch. "You can rest up there if you want," then he pointed outside. "When nighttime comes, ask Asuna, our 'Vice Commander', to set you up with a room of your own. You'll be sleeping there."

"A-Are you sure about all of this?" She asked, sounding worried.

"Without doubt. Just make sure to ask any of us for help if you want anything," he said, making sure that his words were loud and clear. "Tatl, Tael!"

 **"Coming!"** The sister's voice resounded from somewhere. When they finally came—and Nier could picture a tired look on the younger brother's face, as if he had been forced to remain awake due to some reason. **"Yes, Nier?"**

"Can you please call everyone here? I've got bad news that needs to be addressed," he requested, gaining affirmatives from the both of them before they left.

* * *

That Evening

"So, what's up?" Klein asked, propping his elbows on the table.

Just earlier, both fairies had been going from one place to another to call them to Nier's cabin, saying that there was something extremely of importance that required everyone's immediate attention. That's why they were here now, wondering what was up.

Although, the fact that Tatl and Tael had said that they were bad news got everyone pretty wounded up, so they weren't going to hope that things would be better this time.

The boy, however, looked pretty relaxed—unsurprising for someone who's already dealt with so much weird stuff in his life.

Or maybe he is worried, but just has a really good poker face on.

In any case, he was actually thinking about the whole matter, before he spoke up once.

"So, guys, we've got a situation on our hands. And before I say anything else, I'm going to blame PoH for it," he casually said, earning a shocked look from the man.

"Hey! I didn't do anything yet!" He yelled back, honestly shocked.

" _Yet_?" Philia sweat-dropped.

"PoH, I… don't really think you should have said that," Nautilus chuckled, just as nervous as the man was when every girl in the guild of theirs seemed to have shifted their attention to him, leering with a cold gaze of their own.

"S-Sorry…" He was a man, yes, but women were complicated things. And scary too.

"Anyways… This problem that we're up against does have something to do with PoH," everyone looked back to the leader of the «Blank», who finally displayed a look of worry. "«Bloody Coffin»."

*Kyuu…*

Pina mewled in slight fear, with her master petting her to calm her down.

"«Bloody Coffin»? Seriously, they changed the name?" The ex-leader of the red guild was more miffed than he was shocked like everyone else. "And come on, they're just the same old people. What's there to be worried about?"

"Okay, first of… Of all the things to be worried or mad about, you're complaining about the change of name?" Yuna knew that the ex-leader of the red guild was a silly fellow, but looks like the limit to his silliness knew no bounds.

"Well the original name is good already. Why the hell did they change in? Idiots," he pouted.

Everyone just looked at him like he grew a third head or something, visibly confused. They sighed, deciding to just let it slide.

"Anyways… Unlike you who tend to remain in secret, these guys apparently wish to let their names be known," the boy explained. "No doubt, they'll be putting their all into hunting everyone much more often now. I'm only worried that they're going to be attacking us at the most unfortunate times. If their presence will be more influential, in a way, then they'll prove to be major hindrances to our causes."

"Like?" Silica asked.

"Hmm… Say we were in the midst of fighting a boss," and everyone groaned, responded with a nod from the boy. "Indeed. Though we can expect not much change, it's just good to know that we'd need to be careful. All for our sakes, and everyone else's."

He turned to Argo, who immediately straightened her posture.

"Argo, if possible, I need you to get as much information as you can about them. Their location, where their hunting grounds are, their numbers, anything will do. Their identities will be of much help as well," he said, turning to Lux. "Of course, going alone is suicide. Lux, you are to accompany her at all times whenever she's going out for these missions. Keep each other safe."

"Yeah, got it," Lux nodded.

"Well, that's all there is. And remember, we're going to be pushing up to floor seventy somewhere around… the end of the week," he reminded everyone, all of them looking at him strangely. "What?"

"Really? I didn't hear anyone say anything about this," Asuna tilted there head,

"I received a message from Heathcliff just a few nights ago. Apparently, they wanted it to be a bit faster, so they decided that we'd act on that day," the boy answered her question, gaining understanding sounds from everyone. "So get ready by then. I don't want to hear complaints about you guys being tired or getting cold feet by then."

"Hah! As if we should be worried. With you around, we're guaranteed to come out on top!" Lisbeth laughed with amusement, making such a simple statement that had Yolko pretty surprised, though everyone seemed to share the same looks of assurance as the blacksmith did.

They sure do seem to possess a lot of faith in their leader.

"Good. Now, let's get some rest. Night's just about ready to hit the horizon," true to his word, the sky was dark orange, and soon enough the darker shades would turn it absolutely black, which would signify the end of the day.

And Yui had yawned right after he said that. Just in time too.

* * *

'This feels strange,' Yolko spoke to herself, unable to fall asleep despite the cool breeze of the floor entering her room through the slightly open window, or the comfy bed below her.

No, it wasn't these two factors keeping her up. It was just that she was rather nervous in a place that didn't feel like home, yet the place seemed to try hard to make her feel relaxed. It was both welcoming and extremely nerve-wracking.

She would never say that something was lacking. The hospitality the guild has shown far was very much welcoming, and she found herself already feeling safe, even if danger had not come to them yet.

She looked out the window, seeing the beautiful lake shimmering under the moon's light. It looked so beautiful, it made sense why the guild chose this place to be their base, unlike other guilds that favoured massive places as a show of power.

Sighing, she sat up, making sure the lace of her nightdress did not slip down. Stepping away the bed, she figured herself needing some time to think, so she made her way out of the building.

"Brr…" She hugged herself slightly as the door opened, stepping out onto the grass with a pair of boots. She shut the door behind her.

It was a strange feeling. To actually be cold in a game was thought to be impossible, yet the dreams of so many people had been achieved by the same person who actually put them in this dreaded game to begin with.

Life certainly took strange turns at times.

"Huh? Yolko?" Said woman turned to her left, noticing Klein. "What are you doing out here?"

"O-Oh! Just wanted a walk, really," she answered, averting her gaze to the side.

"Ohh, okay. Welp, don't stay up too late now!" Smiled the samurai-wannabe as he went back into the house, yawning.

"Right," she nodded, knowing for sure that a walk is exactly what she needed right now, what with all that's happening around her. Just to clear her head.

Thankfully, she wasn't too worried about being out at night here. The monsters only roamed the forests, and as far as she knew, Nier's cabin and the living quarters were well away from the place, just close to the lake to do some fishing—

"Wait, is that..?" Squinting slightly as she looked in front of her, there was no mistaking it.

It was the «Blank», with a fishing rod in hand as he launched the hook out into the lake, with a bucket right beside him. His fairy companions were flying just beside him, providing a slight illumination to the area due to their natural biology.

Well, wouldn't hurt to pay him a visit, right?

That thought in mind, Yolko made her way to the boy, who didn't even notice her presence. He was too focused in trying to fish.

He breathed in, and out.

Just like a duel. This was a game, a match between him and the fish.

'First, I'm going to need to assess the weak points of the waters. Find the most secured place to cast my hook,' his mind was already on analysis mode. Though he would admit that his capabilities to produce such calculations and assessments were far lesser than a Prüfer, but he would never work any less hard.

Each fishing spot was only vital if the density of fish was focused there. It rested solely on what sort of conditions would the fish be comfortable in, in which whether or not the presence of other bigger fish—that may potentially be its predator—or any particular spots for feeding.

More specifically, vegetation like seaweed. Yes, it's seaweed, but that's just how it is.

Ehh, hang on…

* * *

 **A/N: Trust me on this one. I've seen and heard people call the things that look like seaweeds in lake actual seaweeds.**

 **Yes, it's strange! But that's how it is.**

 **Plus, I'm no expert in plant life, so… Yeah. Come on, guys! I'm just an author! Haha!**

* * *

Anyways.

'There,' his gaze darted somewhere to the left, far away to reach just by wading through the waters. There was a high density of fish there, swimming to find some feed for themselves.

Now, all that he needed to think was what sort of tackle to use.

In this game, a strange mechanic Kayaba had tinkered with was the way fishing worked. Apparently, besides just bugs or some normal insects, there were also customised strange little things with separate looks, all suitable for a variety of conditions.

One, the time of the day. Each tackle was made suitable for what sort of time, ranging from the early morning, during the day, the time when evening tools around, and at night. That's certainly something to look out for.

Two, it seems that certain tackle worked well with different weathers. Either it was sunny, cloudy or rainy. Now that was going to be much difficult to work with, since the weathers were a manipulated variable, unlike the time which followed a cycle.

…That was it.

He sighed, knowing that it would be pretty hard to take everything into account, as each tackle was strange.

Still, if he wasn't going to use those tackles, that does indeed provide a benefit unlike normal bait, then he could just resort to using normal worms.

The large bucket to his right was filled with the same water of the lake. To keep the fish in there, which meant that it would remain fresh. Fresh fish is always the best.

Fishing his hands into another bucket of miscellany of things, he soon gripped a custom tackle, shaped like a red bird. Adorable, he thought, though of course not alive. This thing worked in the current conditions of tonight; nighttime and cloudy.

Hooking the mouth of the tackle to his fishing rood, he launched his fishing rod close to the area, trying to make sure that it wasn't exactly at the area to scare them away.

Now, patience.

A trait that most people—if not all of them—lacked. The fish cannot be forced to the bait, so one must wait.

...Eyy! That rhymed!

Not wasting any more seconds, he activated «Libra», allowing him to see the fish better in the dark. A bright blue glow outlined the little critters. At least he'll be able to see it, even with the lack of light around him.

 **"Looks like it saw your tackle,"** Tatl commented, seeing movement in the water towards his hook.

Nier gave no response, instead putting all his attention on the fish to catch. He needed to make sure that he didn't make a slip-up.

*Kkk…*

The bait was bit.

*Ploop!*

Down into the water!

"Hrgh..!" Taking it as his cue, he pulled strongly on his rod, gritting his teeth as he continues to pull, adding more force each time he felt it try to pull in the opposite direction. "Tatl, Tael! Tell me which direction it's trying to go!"

 **"Umm..! To the left!"** The white fairy cried out. In response to his words, he pulled the rod to his right, keeping it from running away.

"Where next?!" He shouted once more, feeling this to be a big one.

 **"It's trying to submerge!"** The younger black one responded.

With a grunt, Nier forced his rod upwards into the air, with the fish itself being pulled out of the water. And damn, was that a large one! Blue, with streaks of yellow right along the sides of the head, covering the gills and reaching the tail.

The fish was sent flying through the air, and he dropped the rod to the side, opening his arms and catching the gigantic fish, trying not to let it drop into the lake again as he struggled with its flailing.

The fairies looked at the gigantic fish in awe, amazed that their human friend just managed to catch this thing. And on the first try! That's Nier for you.

"Okay, enough fishing. I think…" And his eyes dropped to the bucket to his right, filled with at least eight different fishes of a variety of colours. He placed it in a different bucket, albeit a larger one. "We might need to give these away. Too much…"

 **"Why not just keep them? Whenever you feel hungry, you'd have something to use then,"** Tatl said instead, eliciting a hum from the human.

"Well… Yeah, I suppose that's fine," he shrugged, before perking up. "Eh? Yolko?"

"H-Hello," she waved at him, surprised by the gigantic thing he was holding.

"Hey, uhh… I know it's really rude, seeing that you're trying to unwind and stuff," as he said that, she entered a stuttering fit, face red. Was she that open? "But can you help me carry this bucket for me? The ones with the fish."

 **"And we'll carry the bait,"** Tael offered, hearing his sister whine in chagrin. **"Oh, come now. Shouldn't be too hard."**

"Thanks, guys. And if it's too much, just leave it be. I'll come back for it later," he told them, making way towards the cabin. "Let's go."

"H-Hai!" She was quick to taking the bucket, huffing at first due to how heavy it was, before chasing after him. 'He makes it look so easy..!'

After putting away all the fish into the fridge, Nier had then moved to the living room, with a cup of hot tea adjusted close to his lips to sip from it.

The night was still cold, so anything that would keep both him and his client warm for now was going to be very nice. Plus, this was tea. Who doesn't like tea?

…Okay lah, some, but still!

 **"Dear… That was far too tiring for us both… Never, ever, do that, Tael!"** The older sibling of the fairies hissed, very much annoyed.

 **"Oh, please. It wasn't that bad,"** a surprising note to everyone there. It seemed that the black fairy, though little, possessed the strength of a «Wild Boar». Now isn't that something?

"So Yolko," Nier turned his attention to his client. "Had trouble sleeping, perhaps?"

"Y-You could tell?" She was surprised by that.

"I went through that exact same thing. Once," his memory turned to that night at the beach, and easy to say, he liked it. "Or a few times. I don't remember."

"Huh. Seems kind of strange for you, considering that people call you a mornings person," she chuckled at that, finding a sense of amusement from that. Although, she didn't know the full story, it seems.

"It's just me trying to make good use of my time. The earlier I wake up, the more things I can get done," the boy felt that his explanation was valid, so decided not to say anything. "I was able to train without anyone else noticing it, and I got a few requests out of the way during that time, so yeah."

"Are you sure it's fine to shoulder all that alone? You have people to rely on, you know," the frown on her face was genuine, unrestrained.

Funny. Despite him being the «Blank», the sole person to have accomplished so much despite his age, the only person who has fought past all sorts of boundaries with nary a fear, she was the one who giving a lecture.

Somewhat like a mother to a child, huh?

"Pfft, I know that. It's just that everyone loves sleeping. You can't deny that," he snickered, as if all of this was just some joke. As if all the seriousness was never there to begin with. "In fact, I love it just as much. I'm just doing it because it makes life for everyone else so much easier."

How selfless he is to the point where he forgets about himself.

He should really take the time to unwind too—

"And no, I don't run myself ragged," that cut her thoughts short, a surprised look on her face. Did he just read her mind? "I do things to relax as well. I like fishing, cooking, and if nothing else comes to mind… Sleeping."

Yeah, looks like he's not pushing himself too hard.

"Well… Fine. But make sure to look out for yourself, alright? Everyone would be worried if you suddenly collapsed," like an angry mother, Nier thought to himself. She looked exactly like that right now.

"Hai, I'll be careful," he nodded, before yawning slightly. "Hoah… Okay, looks like I'm tired. I think I'm hitting the hay. You?"

"Umm, I just want to stay awake a bit more, if you wouldn't mind," she replied.

"Got it. Good night," another yawn, this one successfully stifled by a bit. "Okay… Tatl, Tael, come on."

The both of them nodded their little heads, trailing after their friend as they retreated to Nier's little home, deciding that they had spent enough of the night. Sleep is going to be very peaceful, a thing he was absolutely sure of.

And Yolko, sipping from her delicious tea, brewed by your one and only, could not help but count the time that passed, returning to her room later when midnight struck.

* * *

The Next Day

*Ching!*

"Use more force, Klein. You can't expect your enemy to hold back against you," Nier said in between their sparring match, not even sparing his friend any leniency—a mistake most of whom that were being too soft on their trainees.

Still, it wasn't like he was going full-on against them. He still managed to limit the strength of which he used, constantly gave them some openings to see how they were going to act, and practically keeping his analysis over them constant.

There was no way he was going to be any softer on them. That would just cut the whole reason of this training.

In each of his session, he wanted to be able to pit his friends against a situation that they may never be able to predict, to keep them on their feet and constantly ready for the worst of conditions. This was what was important, for their own sakes.

That they be adapt to any given situation, turning what would have otherwise been such a bad thing into their own advantage.

Right now, he was trying to get a read on Klein's speed and power, thus decided to go for a more defensive stance. Still, he wouldn't just remain using the shield attached to his left arm, so he made sure to add in a few strikes of his own every now and then.

Klein seemed to be far quicker than most heavy hitters, most of whom only focused on power, and not speed. He was able to keep up quick to any changes in the enemy's change of movements, and would retaliate appropriately.

His attacks were fast, a necessity of a samurai. He hit hard, which was really important. And his blocking abilities were pretty well, which made sense why he was delegated as a «Sentinel» of the guild.

Still, he needed to focus on his agility a bit more, especially his movement speed. He ain't gonna' reach Usain Bolt's speed any time soon. And he definitely ain't gonna' join the Olympics.

Nier took a brief moment to wonder about his physical build in real life. Just how fast can he go?

'Definitely better than me, at least. I've been a shut-in my whole life, somewhat, so I'm not outrunning him or anyone for the matter,' it was a shameful thing, but he knew it was truth.

He had never done any vigorous exercises his whole life, transfixed to his safe spot to read books, learn about programming and playing video games—of course, he would follow his parents to the mall to purchase groceries, but sport…

The only reason he won that volleyball game during their trip to 'Eryth' was because it was a game in a game. Of course it was simple!

Despite him obviously being in thoughts, seen by how he possessed those eyes he always had whenever he was making a strategy to combat some enemy, Klein was unable to get a full hit on the boy.

He was obviously spacing out, seeing through him rather at him. Still, he was able to block or avoid each swing perfectly, and even when his swings were significantly weaker than usual, he still managed to at least push the man slightly back.

"Oh my God! Even when he's not focusing on the fight, he's still good! That's so not fair!" The samurai cried out, adding more force to his next swing. "Hrah!"

*Clack!*

Still blanking out, Nier returned to reality once he noticed the attack he received was far stronger than usual.

"Not bad. You're starting to make better use of your 'Strength' stat. Although…" Moving his sword to his left, he drew it in one quick motion, metal meeting metal and sending the flying into the air, before finally digging itself in the dirt. "Reaction's important too, so upgrade your 'Speed' stat."

"Hai…" He sighed.

"Good. Now go get some rest," he instructed. "So, who's next?"

"Me," Asuna stood up, her rapier prepared.

"Okay," he nodded, jogging over to Klein's katana before picking it up. "Klein! Catch!"

He threw the blade forwards, but in doing so, accidentally angled it in a way that it began to spin vertically. His friend screamed in fear, ducking low to avoid his own sword that was now buried in a nearby tree, not yet cutting it in half.

Standing at full height once more, the man gave an over exaggerated sigh.

"Dude! Don't do that, ever again!" He actually thought that attack was going to kill him.

"Whoops," was all he said.

" 'Whoops'?! I actually thought that's going to kill me!" He groaned once more.

"Sorry. I guess I accidentally activated a «Sword Skill» without even trying to. Which, I will say this with full honesty, I didn't actually want to happen," he raised his arms in defense.

"Uurgh… I'm jelly…" He muttered to no one in particular.

Deciding to just get some training done, everyone were then engaged in friendly sessions, sparring against their leader. And just when things looked like they were going to win it, Nier successfully takes the victory once again—as he always does.

As far as he can tell, their skirmishes and going out to do requests had given them just enough to level up and grow stronger. Just a few more, they'd be at a solid level 82.

Although, it sounds pretty less when compared to his level 90, which was his current level.

In any case, three days from now, they were going to make a straight advancement up the floors to floor seventy, just to get the whole thing over with. And though some had made complaints that they wouldn't be able to do some sightseeing around the place, they were reassured otherwise.

In a logical sense, if they cleared the floors already, then they'd have all the time they wanted to unwind. And though it sounded pretty dumb at first, it worked to change their minds in the end.

So hey, who cares?

* * *

*Clack.*

"Checkmate," the leader of the «Blank», possessing a title of the same name for himself, spoke with a trace of amusement in his voice, moving his Queen forwards.

"Wait, what?" Yuna took a brief moment to understand just what happened, before gasping at the sight before her. "Wait a minute! How did that work?"

"You left your king way too open," he chuckled, pointing to her chess pieces. "And really, all it needed was two moves from me, since you made the wrong positioning of your pawns."

"Whoa, you're right…" Yui from the side watched with awe.

"This is called the 'Fool's Mate', a type of checkmate that is by far the quickest method of capturing the opposing King," he explained, even in a situation like this.

It was really simple, to be honest. She had accidentally moved her pawns to give an opening for her King, which Nier exploited immediately. The pawn to the King's diagonal right had been moved forward, so he was able to position his Queen in a way that would capture her King right off the bat.

And the best part about this was that she was unable to move her king in any other location. It was a straight shot, and she couldn't run, let alone use any of the other pieces to protect her king.

Amazing, and rather embarrassing to be honest. He won this game in just thirty seconds since it's started.

"In any case, I recommend that you never make the same mistake as well. But if the enemy does this sort of thing, then you'd know what to do," his advice was taken with a sigh, getting a raise of the eyebrow from the boy. "What?"

"How can you be so good at things? It's not fair…" His friend sighed in disappointment.

"I had the chance to practice with my sister before this," he said, putting away all the pieces. That got her attention, and before anything else occurred—

*Thud..!*

Every person from his guild were now seated at the dining table, with the fairies sitting close to Yui. Even Pina had summoned herself, sitting on top of her master's head.

Only Nier was the one left to sit on the couch, the chess set still messy.

"Umm… What?" He blinked, not noticing the sudden change.

Just moments ago, he was playing chess with Yuna, with everyone else busying themselves with something. Heck, for as far as he knew, Agil and Lisbeth were in their individual shops working, so how'd they get here so quick?!

His gaze turned to Argo, the only person who was present here besides himself and Yuna earlier.

She turned away, sly grin.

"Dude, you have a sister? I thought you never had any!" Klein was the first to break the ice, looking excited. "How old is she?! Is she—"

"Klein, if you ever think about taking my sister, who is only six this year," his tone had turned dangerous now, setting off so many's nerves. Even that glare seemed far too intimidating. "Then you've got one thing coming at you."

"I-It's nothing! I w-was just k-kidding! Haha…!" Though his laughter was entirely forced, he couldn't deny the fact that he was scared sh*tless because of his friend.

And he wasn't a damn lolicon. No way was he going to lay a hand on his sister after hearing that.

"In any case… She was the best when it came to games, even more than me I would admit," that got everyone's looks of surprised, actually trying to imagine a girl younger than him to actually be better than Nier. Nier! Of all people! "Welp, that's all there is to tell. Any other details, and you'll have to wait until we get out of this game."

They all 'Aww'-ed in disappointment.

There were things that he would've been fine telling them, though he didn't want to go into inept detail about Shuvi. She wasn't human to begin with, so he was worried as to what they were going to say about her.

Then again, maybe they would be accepting of her? His father and mother were certainly okay with that. In fact, she may as well have been his first and only friend before he's ever entered this world, seeing that he's never gone to school, so they were more than happy to keep her around.

The slight fear of people, which was ironic due to how good he was at leading everyone, had made it impossible for him to step foot into a school.

It was different with a supermarket, though. It wasn't like he had to interact with them at all. His mother and father would be the ones doing the purchasing and talking to the people behind the counters. He wasn't tall enough to reach the shelves, let alone look at them in the eyes.

Actually, last he remembered, he was pretty tall back when he first entered the game. Now, however… would his body experience malnutrition, and possibly shrink? He could only imagine how his body would look like the moment he wakes up.

"Well, that's fine, I suppose," Liz, though a bit pushy at times, decided not to pry further.

"Good," the boy sighed.

*Ding!*

"Hmm?" The familiar notification sound rung in his ears, prompting him to check it out.

 _'From: «Blank»_

 _I have bad news for you. And a good one as well._

 _To: «Blank»'_

'Seriously, why don't you just say everything in one message? Would make life so much easier,' he couldn't help but feel that it was strange, but he supposed it was fine. Keep the suspense up.

Tapping a message in return, he awaited their response. And when it opened…

* * *

That Night

He wanted to read the message sent to him from «Blank», but didn't want to _not_ spend the time with his friends. As such, he had decided that he'd get to it just before bedtime.

Right now, however, he wasn't sure whether or not to curse at Kayaba.

Because he knows others have already done way worse than just cursing at the man. Maybe throw their metabolic waste at a model of him?

That was certainly both stupid, strange and inhuman. And really, whoever had the time to build a model of him out of stone or whatever, and go through the effort to actually throw faeces at him sure is free.

But in all seriousness, he was certain of one definite fact. The bad news. He didn't like them.

"So… «Bloody Coffin's» already gotten ten players down the list," it was horrible to even think about it, but to even say it to himself was worse.

As they had promised, looks like they've actually gone out of their way and kill a few players. The problem was serious, and every other guild were aware of the situation at hand. A bad omen, and he was unsure whether or not to just go out right now to deal with the problem.

But how had they been able to reach this much kills after such a short time since their declaration? They were really pulling their gloves off. Gonna' have to be extremely careful with them.

But the good news… He wasn't exactly sure to take it as just good, or equally bad as the bad one.

'Taming a beast… A rare attribute that most do not possess, with the single person that has been capable of it thus far, for all I know, being Silica,' he had his chin on his hand, thinking about what «Blank» had told him.

Apparently, the good news was her sending him a list of beasts that he could try a hand at taming, in which there was then an added few benefits.

And he could tell that the benefits were not from the same person. There were exclamation marks here and there, as if someone else had taken over «Blank's» place at that moment to tell him this.

According to the benefits, it would raise his already high popularity, being that he'd be the second «Beast Tamer»—second since most people only recognised Silica, and thus, him as well. The thought worried him a bit, wondering if it would hinder his work or anything at all.

The next thing was that it would aid him in battle and off, which he agreed wholeheartedly. The ability to fight, all the while with something watching his back was certainly reassuring. Then again, that part was somewhat unneeded.

He had his friends, all of whom he promised he would look out for, and he knew were going to be there to protect him as well.

What got him curious was that they could be used as a methods of transportation. It was an entertaining thought, which at first he described to be impossible due to the small size of the beasts, until the details added on that the beasts could be of any size.

This had him wondering whether or not Pina's original size was like that, or was much bigger.

To soar through the skies on the wings of a falcon, to drift through the seas on the back of a leviathan, to ride the plains with the speed of a… a horse? Huh. Taming a horse sounds pretty scary, when he thought about it.

Once they get agitated, they're going to start frolicking around and jump and trot and kick and neigh and—

"Brr…" He shuddered at the thought of having to tame that thing. How does Minecraft make it look so easy?

Back to the topic at hand, there were certainly many boons from owning a beast. The only thing that he did have to worry about, which wasn't a problem at all due to their guild's inventory, was feed for the beast, and other things.

"Actually…" He hummed, sounding as if he disliked something. "Beast is a crude way to put it… It's more fit for something that's mammal-like, or at least not a dragon. Nah, I think I'll call it a «Familiar»."

Every RPG that gave their players the ability to tame a monster always called it that; a «Familiar». And since «Sword Art Online» was a VRMMORPG, thus possessing the terms 'RPG', he was going to call it exactly that.

Plus, it sounded way cooler than _just_ beast.

"«Familiar», «Familiar»… Yeah, I like it," he smiled, satisfied.

After all that, he decided to continue reading the message, with a list of available monsters' locations all around the floors. Strangely enough, they did not reach from floor seventy-five to floor one hundred. Maybe there would be no monsters here?

It had him both relieved and worried. Relieved that they wouldn't need to face against so much obstruction before they can face the bosses, and worried that there would undoubtedly be the unexpected.

Maybe human-like NPC's? It was a theme that was used for floor three up until floor ten, perhaps. To be more precise, elves.

It wasn't to say that he did not like the experience at all. Quite the opposite, really. It opened his eyes to quite the vast culture elves had, even if this was just a video game, and those guys may as well be following a wrong set of culture.

Still, it was fun. And he even made a friend in an elf NPC.

'I wonder how she is…' Sure, she was just an NPC, but she was a friend nonetheless. He made a friend in three A.I's, so what's lesser about an NPC?

Then again, the fact that she does indeed possess more… human-like emotions, and at times she was a bit—scratch that, very strange compared to any other normal NPC's. It had him wondering just how much time Kayaba took to develop their characteristics and the like. Or was it the system that made her that way?

Still, everyone had their quirks, right?

The young «Blank» sighed as he fell backwards onto his bed, hoping that the upcoming fight wouldn't be all that bad. He'll entertain this advice given to him from «Blank» at a later time.

"For now, sleep…" He smiled, eyes fluttering shut. Looks like he's found himself a new hobby. And hey, who could blame him?

Sleep is bae.

* * *

A Few Days Later—Floor 66: Kokera Village

It was hard to believe that the old castle labyrinth on the previous floor was also connected to this one, branching out to two paths.

One lead to the deeper parts of the labyrinth, with vicious mobs ready to tear the players that entered asunder. There were a few traps here and there, mostly paralytic rather than poisonous or lethal. That had him relieved, but it wasn't bad to be careful a bit.

The only reason he knew was because he had scouted the entire area long before his friends or anyone else did, much to their chagrin. How does he keep doing all of this without them knowing?

The fear of being grounded was only strengthened from the memory in their old base, when Asuna had made the order to keep him in the house when he was going to face off against PoH.

Talking about PoH…

"Did you know, that if you stuff an egg up your ass," and he said this so shamelessly, so proudly, despite the horrified looks in everyone else's faces. "The heat in it will actually be enough to hard-boil an egg?"

"W-What the f**k?! No it doesn't!" Klein was unsure whether it was his stutter or the horrified look that got everyone else siding with him on this one. "Hell, how do you know?! Don't tell me you—"

"The Internet's a dark place, mate, and I've seen some things you wouldn't believe," he shrugged, gaining a powerful kick to his groin area from his subordinate.

*Crack!*

"Ghkaa!" In an instance, he fell to the ground, clutching his shattered crown jewels, yet still able to find himself laughing as he twisted his body here and there, rolling against the sands. "S-She's smart! It was a lie! HAHAHA!"

"Disgusting asshole," Philia didn't even try to hold back from sounding miffed.

Nier watched on with curiosity, finding the perverted man's words to be a bit of a truth. That's just how chickens were, right? Then again, it wasn't like they kept the egg in there forever until the chick turned into… yeah.

He'd rather not go there.

Okay, PoH was lying. And when he thought harder about it, it actually did sound messed up.

For some guy who's spread the word of murder and the like, who has certainly bloodied his hands with the lives of more than just a few, for the same guy to have been deemed the most dangerous guy in the game, he sure is a perverted jack. What does he even do in his free time?

'The day he goes to a church will be the day the world ends,' he thought with amusement.

In any case, the labyrinth on this floor diverged into two paths. The first one was mentioned already. The other one, however, lead to a beautiful desert that reminded him of the Sahara, with ravines that had rivers in them and plenty of oasis here and there.

The stark contrast between this and the floor of which Granzam rested on was that there was no cold mountain range to the west of here. Plus, this place had more water than one could imagine, with the bodies of water possessing a little more than a few fish.

He did bring his fishing rod, after all…

Needless to say, the place was quite comfortable, though it did retain a bit of heat that could make anyone restless.

Even then, there was nothing that would ever make him swap it for his log cabin. He may not have voiced it out loud, but the gift his friends had gotten for him was very much appreciated. It was by far, and probably would be until the end of his experience in «Sword Art Online», that this was the most comfy home.

He could only hope that, even once he leaves this world, there would be a chance to live in it once more. It's already become part of him, there was no way he could just forget all about it.

Okay, enough talk. Nier decided that they'd just get this over with.

* * *

Floor 72: Ozmalt

Not a bad town to live in, if one was fine with the rather castle-like theme the town was based on.

It was a pretty wide town, though not all that big compared to the bottom floors—it was due to the design of 'Aincrad', in which the floating castle was built similar to a cone, beginning to decrease in size the higher it went. There was plenty of barns here and there, the villager NPC's more than happy to share a few things with the players that come by.

After finishing things up at floor seventy, no one had the gall to just turn their attention away from their leader, which is why the «Blank» were currently two floors higher of their supposed target.

Nier sweat-dropped, knowing that it would have been dumb to just play pretend whilst something was happening. And this something was indeed him going off to clear the next boss rooms all on his lonesome.

And of course, where their leader went, they follow.

It was hard to avoid the masses's attention after the stunt he and his guild's pulled. Singlehandedly taking down a boss room, let alone two, without the help of any other guilds was practically impossible!

Thankfully, they had Argo on their side, and she was pretty good at keeping the attention away too.

But even with her efforts, it wasn't long before he was dragged into the middle of the crowd, all screaming their amazement and things like how he was just plain awesome. But of course, being the introverted kid he was…

'I-I-I'm dying..!' Everything travelled like a blur, the world swirling around him as if he were forced to a bumper car, tossed around like a rag doll. His life was flashing before his very eyes, subject to such an experience he was sure will not be missed.

Sure, he could stand on a stage, but _this_..! This was torture!

The crowd was only growing, and he was getting squeezed to a focal point of suffocation, almost possible to be turned into literal pulp. His friends were too far, out of reach from him. There was no way he was getting out of—

*Twoing..!*

'Eh..!' Amidst the craziness that spurred around him, a single string with a hook attached at the end dropped from above him, seemingly coming out of nowhere. 'A fishing rod..!'

Screw it! He'd rather be somewhere else instead of here!

In a desperate attempt to escape, he extended his hand towards the hook, catching it.

*Fwoo!*

"Whoa!" The boy never knew what it was like to be the fish, but now, he certainly knew what it felt like.

Out of the water, and into the sky!

*Thud!*

"J-Jeez!" It didn't take that long to even recognise the fact that he was now being carried by a grinning Klein. "The heck?!"

"Hold on!" Was the only warning he gave before he sprinted off, legs carrying him faster than any other methods of transportation.

Training seemed to have done him good.

* * *

Floor 22: Coral

They decided to return to their comfy little base, and Nier was so much grateful for it.

The moment he got home, feet shaky as he stood in the living room of his own cabin, he had immediately made his way to his bedroom, and his head collided with the soft mattress almost instantly.

Yui watched with curiosity, whereas the fairies shared their own chuckles of amusement. That must have really taken a lot out of him.

Soon enough, the trio made their way to the living quarters, with everyone else busy with their own things.

"Do you guys think Nier's a NEET?" The samurai, who had been there to the boy's rescue, asked. A sip from his cup of coffee before he placed it gently on the table.

"Probably. He doesn't look all that fit either," PoH shrugged, avoiding a jab to his cheek by ducking low. He allowed a smirk to surface. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Never learn, don't—"

*Smack!*

"Ow!" Letting his guard down for even a moment, his sense of complacence was instantly shattered the moment her fist connected with his bottom jaw. "Damn it..!"

"Don't even think about insulting him again," she practically hissed at the older person, the latter feeling himself shrink slightly.

'Scary…' Every other person there felt their spines shiver, all silently agreeing on the fact that they have a yandere on their hands.

And on the girls' part, a competition.

And the subject of their devotion, their utter adoration and time, their love and attention, was busy sleeping away in his room, mind amidst the clouds as he dreamed of stars and fire, of the earth and haven, of him and his friends.

An adorable sight to behold if anyone ever entered his room.

The time went on, and when afternoon turned into evening, Sun just about ready to dip past the horizon, Nier had only then woken up, yawning.

And man, did his hair go everywhere.

His eyes were still screwed shut, but it was through muscle memory alone that he managed to exit the cabin, making his way to his friends' living quarters and entering the building.

"Oh, hi Nier!" Yuna perked up at seeing her crush, noticing the way he was stretching his arms above his head.

"Hey…" He moaned back, before setting himself down on the couch. And the next thing he knew, his head was on the lass's lap. "Eh..?"

"Don't worry, it's just me," he could hear his friend's voice, her sweet smile envisioned in his head—since his eyes were still shut, and thus could not see her. He mentally shrugged, making himself comfortable.

And of course, the tension in the air skyrocketed just like that, with each of the females staring at each other with a deadly look.

"Hmm? What's going on—Hwaah..!" Nautilus managed not to drop the tray of cups he was holding the moment he stepped into the living room, seeing the way all eyes of the girls of the group—even Yui of all people looked slightly more serious than her usual bubbly self—seemed to be aimed at Yuna. And taking a good look at her—

Oh, okay.

Truth be told, were he any normal boy, he would've probably been miffed about the fact that he couldn't be in his leader's place. Still, in his heart, it was fine. Yuna definitely liked the kid, so who was he to disagree with her?

Although, the obvious aura, one that he could almost tell was black, with a suffocating amount of _death_ being spelt out everywhere that was emanating from all of the opposite sex sans Rosalia and Yolko—they're practically not really that close to him to actually try and make a move with him—certainly would make any normal person wet themselves out of fear.

Nier was sleeping through all of this.

How did he put it again..? Oh yeah. Sleep is bae.

'I can agree with that,' the swordsman thought with a chuckle, making his way to the table and setting down the tray. "Would anyone like a drink?"

Immediately, hands took their own cups and the pot was finished faster than usual, with Sachi taking the turn to make the next batch of fresh tea.

With that, they sat down, returning to their own devices, though the occasional glare sent towards his childhood friend, with Nautilus chuckling at the sight.

Nier was right. Girls are complicated.

* * *

Three Days Later—Floor 55: Granzam

In the city of which housed the famous quarters for the «Knights of Blood», the «Blank» decided to pay the commander a visit, flanked by Yuna and Rosalia on either side, Tatl and Tael on his head, and Nautilus, Strea and PoH trailing right behind him.

The boy had decided to speak to the man for a bit, finding something of interest that he absolutely knew had to be addressed with Heathcliff.

Arriving there, guards practically threw themselves at his feet, though not literally, singing praise and words of awe at him. The young «Blank», though appreciative of such words, could not find himself actually holding back from looking away with embarrassment.

Sure, he's doing crazy and awesome stuff everyday—to the point where it became the children's bedtime stories, those that lived in the church on the starting floor—and that it of course deserves the respect of the masses, it wasn't like he could actually take it head on with a serious expression.

And thankfully PoH was there to keep away any fangirls. He already knew that his little buddy was not good with attention.

After a bit of time, they now stood in the commander's room, with Heathcliff himself draped in the familiar robes of white and red, grey hair slicked back as usual.

"Heathcliff-sama," Nautilus made a bow, with the rest of the ex-members of the «Knights of Blood»

"Ahh, Nautilus. And everyone else," he regarded the rest of his previous members with a smile, which faltered slightly once he turned to the last person there. "PoH."

"Hey, man. I've stopped killing, which is a lie since I still kill mobs," the previously red player raised his arms in defense, smirking. "So you can't send me to prison, no matter how much you'd want that. Nier still needs me."

"As much as I would love to say otherwise, he's actually right. He's an experienced fighter, and is reliable both on and off the battlefield," the boy nodded, earning a one-armed hug from the older person.

"See? You heard the man," he snickered.

"Hmph. And Nier, to what do I owe the pleasure?" His tone held a hint of surprise, but it seemed that he was more interested about something else rather than his own presence. The fact was strengthened by how he was stealing glances at Yui.

This, in turn, caused the boy to unconsciously move to his left, blocking her from his view slightly.

He may be a respected man who had ultimately saved the lives of many, and continued to prevail where others have not, and no matter what his status may be, Nier was going to continue to respect him.

But if he was a lolicon, and if he was staring at Yui because of it…

As PoH bluntly puts it, he was going to beat the living daylights out of him.

In which the ex-red player would replace 'daylights' with 'sh*t', but Nier had been raised up to never swear, and he was sure that he wasn't going to do such a thing for as long as he lived.

"Just have something to ask you, is all," he said, now wondering if he should just ask Yui to stand outside. But that would be heartless, so he decided against it. "The «Bloody Coffin». You've heard about them, right?"

"Indeed. Looks like they've awakened from their previous hiatus. After…" His gaze dropped on the ex-leader for a while, the latter giving a challenging look. "…well, you know."

"Indeed. But that's not what I want to talk about," the boy shook his head. "It's just that they've been posing a problem towards the players before this. Do you have any idea where they could be hiding?"

"And what? You will go out on your own to subdue each and every one of them?" He could have almost thought of it to be a joke, but the worried looks the monochromatic-haired boy's friends were giving him made it seem otherwise.

"Mmm… While it is a capital idea," and the eyebrow raise from the oldest member of the guild sent at him made him cough into his fist. "But I'll decide against it. To put everyone at ease."

There was a slight pause, taken to consider his next words. There were so much he wanted to know, to do. Even so, while he really did want to go out to find «Bloody Coffin» on his own, he was sure everyone would stand against his decision, worrying for him nonstop if he does leave.

He didn't need to do that to them. They're already trying their best to live in this forsaken world. Don't need to make things any worse.

With a sigh, a scratch at the back of the head, Nier spoke once more.

"I'm just afraid that it's close to the floors on the higher ones. We don't need any disturbances while we're trying to clear the floors," he said, earning a hum of understanding from Heathcliff. "Argo's been doing her best, and God I'm thankful for her—"

Meanwhile, said girl on floor twenty-two, busy sharpening her claw-weapons, couldn't help but suddenly smile, her mind thinking about her favourite person in the world.

"But I don't want to push her too hard. She deserves a break, I swear. So I was wondering, do we have any other spies that are good at getting information?" He asked, finally saying no more.

"Hmm… An admirable wish, but I'm afraid it's impossible. She is the best information broker there is in this world, and none can truly match up to her skills in said field," Heathcliff shook his head, earning a sigh from the young leader of the most popular guild there is. "In any case, while I think this may be the only topic of interest, I have a feeling that you came here for something else as well."

"Yeah," he nodded. "Everyone, can you guys give us some privacy?"

"Eh? We have to leave?" PoH blew a raspberry, feeling his ear getting pulled on. "Ow! Let go!"

"Nope! You're not going to do what Ni-Ni says," Strea said her crush's pet name, just as she has made so much more for everyone else. "So I'll make it easier for everyone else."

"Thanks, Strea. Tatl, Tael, I'm afraid you guys will have to go too," he gave them one apologetic look.

 **"Don't worry about it. Just make sure not to keep us too long!"** The older twin was flying in the air in the blink of an eye, resting on Yuna's hat the next moment.

 **"We'll see you later, leader,"** the black fairy would have given a bow, but he was just a fairy, so he resorted to flicker his body a bit, before flying towards the others.

"Yeah, give us a sec," Nier called back.

Once the doors closed, leaving the two leaders of two separate guilds alone—one who commanded swords of data and the other who weld a fist of steel—they decided to keep the silence a bit longer.

Good amount of sunlight that peeked in through the nice red curtains, the scent of dust in the air, as well as the regal statues of armour situated to the left and right of the room. This was bound to be a serious discussion, one way or another.

But Nier…

"Hey Heathcliff?" He pulled out what seemed to be a book, with a quill on hand. His tone was casual, relaxed, and he had this look of a nonchalant person, as if the topic of their discussion was anything _but_ serious. "List for me the strongest monsters there is that you know of, and are still alive in the game. The event bosses or the field bosses works too."

The boy sure is unpredictable.


	18. Chapter 16-5

"He had lived as any other human." - Speech

'And yet, in this time, he had fallen…' - Thoughts

 _"This time, we will fix it all."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 16.5: She and Some Others Went Back in Time to Save the Person Who Saved Her'`

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

 **"Oh dear, that won't do at all… Forgive us for this messy pile of words, dear readers. Although I may not be able to decrypt it manually, I suggest you take such words to the 'Base58 Decoder'. This may shed light onto what you see here."**

* * *

Many Years Later

By the time the tale of Nier, the legendary hero of whom had ultimately freed the people from the deadly game «Sword Art Online», had came to a full close, only then did the person wearing the mask of such a persona could finally feel at ease.

It had quite arduous, having to deal with the fact that the people continued to bombard him with a multitude of questions just seemed to have taken the life out of him, even though he continued to live up to this day.

Nur Fate, a simple boy who, by normal standards, was ironically enough the complete opposite of normal.

He was a natural prodigy at just about everything, having been born with the intellect of those that had made their names in history. In fact, it would have been accurate to say that his name has already been written down in history, much to his own chagrin.

Truth is, he disliked publicity. It was far too troublesome to keep smiling in the face of public, let alone handle all their nosiness and flashy cameras.

Seriously though, just how long were they going to keep this up until something else more interesting than he was got them off of his trail?

Apparently, his wish came true, after many years of hoping.

It seemed that, after much time following his footsteps, many people had slowly grown disinterested in him, opting to follow the other more popular trends—it was somewhat insulting to him, but he decided to let it slide.

Right now, life was amazing.

*Beep… Beep… Bee—* *Click.*

"Mmhh…" Nur grumbled as he pushed himself upwards into a sitting position, yawning slightly as he rubbed his eyes. Staring into the mirror he had placed in front of his bed—because why the heck not?—he noticed just how messy his hair was, prompting him to comb it with his fingers.

Then came the daily routine.

He got up, got to the showers, decided to wash himself and everything, ultimately ignoring the fact that he had forgotten to turn on the heaters, again, and was left at the mercy of cold water.

Seriously though, maybe he should invent instant-heater or something… Any time it recognized him stepping foot into the bathroom, the waters would be hot and ready.

Nonetheless, he had a good shower, dried himself and was wearing a simple black tee with grey baggy pants.

In all honesty, trying to believe himself to be thirty years old at this rate was horribly difficult. Not only had he gotten through his entire life not knowing what it was like to get a wife, much less so a girlfriend, he only then realized how lonely life particularly felt.

Asuna had gotten engaged to some guy he didn't know, but he was pleased to say that he was pretty nice. And somewhat fun. All his other female friends went off on their own separate paths, God knows where. Yuuna and Eiji—Nautilus's real name—finally got together, the former swearing something about 'being tired of everything'—he didn't really understand what she meant.

Every now and then, he'd get together with old-looking Ryoutarou and Andrew— Klein and Agil respectively—both of whom were quite busy with their own households.

Which left him. Alone. Completely single.

"Man… Sure kind of feels weird," he sighed as he scratched his head, leaving his room and shutting the door behind him.

It always felt like some strange emotion seemed to build up inside of him whenever he hanged out with his friends, all of whom were always seen with their lovers by their side—could it be jealousy? Or plain loneliness?

He wasn't sure of the former, but being lonely… He'd like to think that he was half right.

All this time, the girls had been pursuing him, constantly doing everything they can to win his attention and get him to love them. And each and every attempt ended up with him not noticing it, which lead to the present.

He sighed once more. The signs were all there, but he had been too focused on trying to keep everyone alive and getting out of that game to even notice them.

Yui had berated him once about it, saying that it was bad to ignore them. And it was sadly hilarious, knowing now that it finally came to bite him back in the butt.

"Oh, hey son," the young man perked up at seeing his father, whose face had grown wrinkly over the years. His black hair at the back part of his head had dropped slightly, and there were many greys on his head by now. And yet, that smile never failed to make its appearance. "Just woke up, champ?"

"Yeah… Slept late, to be honest," shrugged the monochromatic-haired man as he took a seat beside his father. "What are you reading?"

"Just the daily news, I suppose," the father replied, humming a tune that almost sounded like that one pop song Yuuna, who had actually become an idol, sang. "It's strange… I don't see your name on the papers a lot nowadays…"

"Ehh, times have changed, dad. Not everyone wants to keep hearing the same old things all the time," the son rolled his eyes. "But it's not that bad. The media hasn't been stalking me anymore, and I feel like I'm actually at peace now."

"Well, yeah, sure. But I was honestly expecting the heat to die down much later," admitted the father before he coughed into his fist. "So, any plans for the day?"

"Dunno'. I'll go see if there's any restaurants that'll need some help with the dishes or something. If I'm lucky, I might get cooking duty," he hummed back, looking down to his lap. Man, had he grown tall too. He's almost two heads taller than his father.

"Well, you be careful out there, yeah? Crime's still a thing, you know, and people are just waiting to slit your throat out in the open," the father chuckled, his words—though morbid—getting the younger man to snicker as well.

"You shouldn't be saying to anyone, you know. You'll scare them off," Nur said as he stood up, before feeling his father's soft hand grip his wrist.

"I'm serious, though. You be careful. Your mother wouldn't want to see you so early," he said, and the son couldn't help but frown.

Ah, right. His mother.

He really didn't know what to say. Just a year ago, on his birthday, she was up and about, making sure to keep the party going and always at the ready with her smiles and laughter, soiling him silly and making sure that all his friends that attended were enjoying themselves.

And then a month later… a car took her life.

It was so sudden. She had decided to drive to the grocery mall one night, and the next thing he knew, news of her death was reaching his ears faster than the speed of light.

He attended her funeral a week later, shedding no tears as he had mourned for her in his own room the many nights prior. His father didn't come, though, too pained to watch his beautiful wife be sent down to earth.

Even when she was no more, she managed to be as amazing as ever, dying with a smile on her face and remaining beautiful as the day he's been able to see her with his own eyes as a babe.

A photograph of her, back when she was still younger and holding the hand of a toddler Nur, standing beside her goofy-looking husband, was standing there on the wardrobe, as alive as ever.

He didn't say anything to his father, merely giving a nod of acknowledgement before gently prying his father's fingers off of him, leaving the house right after.

He was already ready to leave his home before he could hurried footsteps after him, prompting him to turn his head around.

"Nur..! Wait!" It was a girl, with long black hair that travelled down to her waist with beautiful grey eyes and such smooth facial features. Wearing what seemed to be a black dress that had a grey skirt decorated with floral patterns, with black heels that certainly fit well with her.

To the normal man, she would have been just about any other teenage girl, probably some childhood lover or just a cousin—although, in his case, most would think she was his niece or something. But what they didn't know, was the fact that this person was not even a girl to begin with.

When she got close, looking at him with a smile, he couldn't help but give her a pat on the head.

And he felt the metal under her hair.

"You're already done with your repairs?" He asked, eyeing her up to down.

"Yeah. Lisbeth was really good, it turns out. Looks like she really was serious about becoming an engineer," chuckled the human-like machine, her mind returning to the memories of back when she was a mere soul in a game, designed to have been there to just watch out for the players.

Now, however, she was really a person who was living a true life, just like everyone else.

And who else to thank but this man before her?

Years ago, he had offered her with such a choice, saying that he wanted to show her the world of which he and everyone lived in. He wanted to show her just about everything that the world had to offer.

And when she finally entered this world, she kept her identity as a machina secret to the world, not wanting to have to deal with the media.

In response, it seemed that the human man was more than happy to take her into his home, accepting her as a part of his family.

It was perfect. It was both him, his mother, father and her. Altogether, a perfect family.

And now, only three remained.

Yui frowned slightly, knowing fully well that the monochromatic-haired young man was still grieving over his mother. Just that he wasn't actually outwardly showing it, deeming it as a sign of weakness—something that he desperately wanted to hide from everyone around him.

It was only a moment later did she finally notice the snapping of the fingers, coming from Nur himself, who looked at him with an amused expression.

"You okay there? You suddenly blanked out on me," chuckled the young man as he stuffed his hands in his pocket, making his way to the little blue Mercedes parked outside the house. "Come on. Let's go see what we can do."

"R-Right," nervously nodded the machina as she followed him.

* * *

It was a short drive before they finally got to the mall, the pair having decided to just take their time to relax. It had been some time since they've ever gone shopping, really.

There, Nur was impressed with just how many people there were here. The last time it had been this crowded was during the summer holidays, of which people were barely resisting the urge to just fill this place with their presences and empty their wallets dry.

The thirty-year-old decided to just let his little friend choose their next destination, of which she said she wanted to shop for some clothes—it seems that her wardrobe still did not have nearly enough as any other teenagers'.

When they got to the clothes department store, noting the presence of many women inside there, Yui had immediately rushed off to check out the many dresses there, grinning brightly.

Nur just chuckled as he watched her, like a little girl about to get a birthday present. And though he wouldn't mind spending some for her, he was immensely worried that she may go overboard—

*Thud.*

"Oh, sorry."  
"Ahh, it's fi—"

Nur's words immediately dropped from the edge of his tongue as he stared at the blonde person before him. He knew him almost immediately, recognising those western blue eyes and sharp face. His naturally blond hair swept back in a fashion regarded to be 'modern', and wearing that damn emerald ring on his left ring finger.

"…fine," he finished, not wanting to sound rude.

"Oh no, it was my fault. I wasn't looking," the person chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "I guess that part of me's not going away any time soon."

"You bump into people often?" Nur questioned.

"Sometimes. I just don't look around me everywhere I go," the blonde laughed once more before picking up his bags of clothes. "Well, I'd better get going. My wife would kill me if I'm even late by a minute. See you."

"Right…" The Japanese-Malaysian adult watched as the blonde walk out of the shop, making his way towards an honest-to-Heaven angel.

She was tall, quite so, but retained such a build that just made her seem so attractive. Her smile was beautiful, like that of a painting made by an expert painter. Her strawberry blond hair tied in those familiar braids, albeit slightly shorter now, probably just past her shoulder and no more. In a grey business suit with a white shirt, black skirt and transparent heels, she almost looked like a princess.

But Nur knew better. This was her fr— _past_ friend, Asuna Yuuki.

"Sorry for being late. Just bumped into someone," chuckled the blonde as he approached the woman, kissing her on the forehead.

"Jeez… Be careful. You might seriously cause an accident someday," the woman just rolled her eyes, though could not hide the affectionate tone from slipping in. "Come on, let's go. The kids are waiting for us."

"Mmm, I heard you," he nodded, taking her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers.

His emerald ring clinked softly against her sapphire one.

Even from the clothes store, Nur could tell just how happy the woman looked. That love in her eyes, just the same that she had once showed her back in the game… how long had it been since she's ever looked at him like that?

Let alone remember him at all?

Ever since a long time ago, a time of when he has ultimately forgotten at this point, she had decided to just forget him ultimately, having found companionship in a European man she had met on one of her travels—the very same guy that he met earlier.

He didn't understand why she didn't like him that much, let alone why some of the girls seemed to act in a disliking manner with him. It was as if his presence served to bring up bad memories.

'Man… Those were times,' he sighed, wondering just why women had to be so confusing.

Well, that's all in the past, he told himself. Right now, he still had a present to tend to. He had a family, even if a small one, to look after.

It was half an hour later before Yui finally picked out some stuff, looking content. Nur sighed yet again, knowing full well that whatever she had picked out were going to be quite costly. And when the cashier demanded for quite the amount, he had bet his money right.

Except he was getting nothing. He would be paying this time.

* * *

That Night

The drive back home was slow and painful, what with the heavy traffic that suddenly hit the roads. Why so? He wasn't sure, but he knew one thing.

Without a doubt, he could just fall asleep if they were going to be any later than right now. It sucked to know that there was nothing he could do to make things progress faster, but he supposed things were just as how they are.

Sitting in the back of the car, Yui was left staring out the window, looking at the other cars on their left and right, possessing different colours of varying shades; dark yellow, bright maroon, bluish-green, an attractive violet and so much more.

It had been something that she realised quickly became a habit. She just liked to look at things and either analyse them or just think about it.

She called it weird, but Nur deemed it fine. Anyone would be curious as her if they had been living in a world where nothing was exciting, and they were suddenly thrown into a new one.

Although, not calling «Sword Art Online» exciting was a mistake, but people were more focused on getting out of there than anything else.

" _And now, returning to the topic of PoH, the mass murderer in «Sword Art Online»,_ " spoke the broadcaster on the radio, getting both their attention. " _After manyyears serving in prison, it seems that he has finally passed away, at the age of fifty-four. Diagnosis suggests that he passed due to lung failure._ "

"He passed away, huh?" Whistled the girl as she continue to stare out of the window.

Nur was not really sure of what to say. There was nothing that he could have done. It was either him or the other players.

It was a difficult task, to be honest. To have stormed their secret hideout with multiple of guilds backing him out, they were finally able to capture and send the murderer and his followers—though some had expired at the end of the enemies' blade—to the 'Black Iron Palace'.

The final battle was… admittedly, extremely strenuous.

Never in his wildest dreams would he have ever thought to be facing off against Heathcliff, revealing himself to be Kayaba Akihiko himself, on floor one-hundred—it was strange why there was no boss there at first.

It was a difficult choice. To cut him down was easy, but to know that he was the father of one of his own friends… Ultimately, he chose to remove the life of one to save thousands others.

Many more were lost, but the young boy of which he had once been was able to land the final blow, killing him, and they were all logged out.

Out of the ten thousand people who had stepped foot into that forbidden world, only three thousand and maybe more, sans the criminals, finally left that world.

Nur had then been devoting himself to helping the people out, but when he started to age, he was soon replaced with the younger people, which he really appreciated. No longer would he need to work himself, and was all more than ready to just turn in for a live of leisure.

Right now, however… he had a bitter taste on his tongue. One that he was not really sure why it even existed there to begin with, but he supposed that mystery will only be answered someday in the future.

* * *

Once those two got back home, they were greeted with the sight of an old Adam Fate smiling at them from the doorway, his prosthetic right leg barely hidden by the shadows.

Not many knew the reason as to why he lost his leg in the first place, but some speculated that it was because he had experienced diabetes which attacked his leg, ultimately requiring him to remove it and get this new one.

It wasn't comfortable, by all means, but it was something.

"Hey dad," Nur greeted as he got out of the car, helping Yui to carry her bags. "Sorry we got back home late. Traffic was really terrible."

"Don't worry too much about it. As long as you're back home safely," chuckled the old man before he paused to cough his into his fist, going on for at least five seconds before finally stopping. "Sorry about that."

"You sure you don't want to go get checked by the doctor or something? We could get you medicine," suggested his son, but he shook his head.

"Trust me, kid. I'm extremely healthy. Just that the air had dust," he shrugged without so much of a worry, giving his goofy smile that he always wore in times like these. And Nur couldn't help but sigh.

"Ever the stubborn one, huh?" Yui giggled, knowing just how much he had always been dodging certain things by trying to lighten up the mood.

"Fine… But if it gets any worse, I'm taking you to the clinic, old man or not," snickered the son as he walked into the house, helping his old man inside.

"Try your best, kiddo. This old fool ain't going down as easy as that," laughed Adam, knowing just how much his son loved him so.

He could only wish that his wife was here right now.

* * *

Three Weeks Later

Nur had gone off to work, deciding to work just for the day at some chain restaurant, deciding to make quick money—though they had quite the number of funds from back in the day, as 'support' for the «Sword Art Online» victims, he just wanted to earn some as well.

Which left Yui taking care of Adam in his son's absence, the former certainly happy that she was around.

The girl was incredibly pleasant, very polite either with him or with guests. It was no wonder why most of the children in the neighbourhood liked her so, given that she always finds time to play with them whenever they asked her so.

However, it's clear as day that she'd rather spend her days at home, wanting to just be with her family as the days pass.

He personally liked having her around, being the only other person on this whole world besides Nur and Layla to actually be able to handle his weird sense of humour, which he would digress to be completely opposite.

In any case, the ravenette was busy making do with the dishes, reading from some online recipe book that she had managed to find as she browsed through the Internet, surprised to find so much dishes here.

There was German cuisine, some from other parts of Asia, and most notably European. Right now, she was trying her hand at French cuisine, more specifically something called 'Chicken Marengo', and where it lacked in looks, it was rich in history.

Apparently, it was to celebrate the 'Battle of Marengo', a Napoleonic victory on June 1800. And the more she read into it, the more she could appreciate the story.

Nur would have loved this.

It was a moment later, somewhere around noon, before she finally finished making everything, bringing the dishes to the table. She got to the living room, seeing Adam taking a sip from his coffee cup, though the clear fact that his hand was shaking meant that he wouldn't be able to feed himself.

…Is what she always thinks, but his hands are surprisingly still strong, no matter how you looked at it.

"Sir, lunch is ready," she said, ever the polite girl she is.

"Coming… And drop the 'sir', eh? Just call me Adam," chuckled the old man as he stood up, walking to the dining table with help from the lass. Sitting him down on a chair, she took the seat opposite of him. "Well, what's this? Chicken marengo?"

"Mmhm. I just thought of trying something new for once," said the machina as she passed him a spoon and fork. "Well, let's eat. Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu," he prayed as well, spooning some of the delightful dish and pouring it all over his plate of brown rice—as his doctor had requested him to start eating it—and dug into his food.

Needless to say, it was great.

* * *

"You know, you _could_ try and help us out," Nur smiled as he stared at the teenager, who was busy tending to the knives with his earphones plugged in, playing some rock song that told the story of a man communicating with his dead wife.

"Nah, you're better at customer service than I could ever be," bluntly replied the boy, sometimes described to be 'goth', before he nodded at the older person. "Plus, you're way more experienced in this. I can tell, even if this is your first time here."

"Meh, I've done some work at other places before this," shrugged the man as he took an order, checking it before leaving the kitchen. "Be back."

"Yeah," lazily drawled the teen.

Making his way to a couple sitting at a table, he could not help but imagine it was Yuuna and Nautilus. The woman looked so similar to her, but she had green eyes, whereas Yuuna's were a light shade of brown.

"Excuse me," he called to the couple, gaining their attention. "I'm sorry to say, but we do not have crab with us today. Would you like to order something else, perhaps?"

"Oh, no need then. We'll just have what we ordered," the husband offered a smile, getting a nod from Nur.

"As you say," and off he returned to the kitchen, flapping the doors open and hearing its hinges creaking. "Come on, Ethan. We've got some things to prepare."

"Yeah," the teenager put away his earphones, preparing himself.

So far, Nur had been impressed with the young cook's skill with the knife. He was extremely precise and fast with the blade, easily dicing vegetables and prepping the fish. In fact, where he lacked in his social skills—as he had said that he was an introvert, never really trying to socialise with the world since his youth—he made it up with his cutting skill.

Nur, on the other hand, was quite adept at everything, having learned just about everything since he was three. Even so, his age had made it quite difficult for him to have achieved such deftness as before, but he could still serve up quite the good proportions.

They needed to make tempura udon, which was something the man had sworn he hadn't made in some time, but this was a better time to pick it up once more.

Although it was just him and Ethan, since the other chefs were too sick to make it, they were going to get the job done.

...

"Well, ain't that a show you put up there," commented the purple-haired boy as he put his earphones into his bag, eyeing Nur. "You were pretty great there, I'll admit."

"Oh, not so much, I'm afraid. I'm just average, at best," his laughter was genuine, and for a brief moment, a ghost of a smile formed itself on the teenager's face.

"Modest? Well, at least you're not like any other chefs out there in the world. Most of them can be quite the scumbags," he scoffed, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Well, I'll be going. Thanks for helping us out."

"Yeah, of course," he nodded, watching as the boy leave the shop, before finally sighing.

"You sure you're fine to do this sort of thing, Mr. Nur?" The person in question turned around, staring into the eyes behind the glasses of the man wearing a cheap suit. "We're all getting old, you know, and you've definitely seen better."

"Please, I'm not dying anytime sooner, you know," he rolled his eyes. "Pay."

"Mmhm, I got it," he pulled out an envelope of money, handing it to Nur. "Think we could call you if we ever lack in manpower?"

"Sure. If my schedule's free at the time, of course," and he was gone, driving back home.

Well, that was a fine how-do-you-do.

* * *

A Month Later

The telly in the living room, the very same since his childhood—it had certainly lived throughout the years, though has shown some slight malfunctions every now and then—was displaying the current news.

And needless to say, nobody in the house liked it.

" _As of three weeks ago, high-classed criminal Kanamoto Atsushi, more widely known as 'Johnny Black', has evaded arrest, and is currently out at large,_ " the woman in the little box said, producing a frown on Yui's face.

"Damn it… That guy's a member of «Laughing Coffin»," Nur clicked his tongue in chagrin, narrowing his eyes at the box.

As he's said before, he had been able to capture the red guild with help from the other guilds and send them to the 'Black Iron Palace', which meant that they were due for punishment once they returned to the real world, unable to do anything.

However, it seems that the bastard was still being stubborn, and had the gall to run away from the police.

It would not be pretty, that was for sure. Having developed a murderer's mindset, God knows what he would do to anyone. And surely, the cops will be hot on his heels at any point.

For now, however, he didn't want to worry. There was no way he would be able to do anything to him, or his family, seeing that he was probably fifty-something at this point.

And as far as he knew, old men—counting out his father, seeing that he could still drive the car if he so wanted to—were technically weak, and seeing that he was the younger one here…

Then again, that would be pretty rude, so he'd rather not say anything.

"Yui, can you go get the laundry? I think it's going to rain soon enough," he noticed how the skies were getting darker outside, and much to his dismay, it would be a handful to wash the clothes again.

"Okay," she nodded, leaving the house to pick up said laundry.

"You know… Is it just me, or does it feel like we're forgetting something else?" Adam brought up with a thoughtful look, with both son and father humming as they thought on the matter—

*Beep beep!*

"Oh shoot! The oven!" Nur was quick to running to the kitchen, hoping that whatever he had in there was not going to get burned. "Damn it..!"

"Be careful not to burn yourself," the father hollered out to his son, chuckling.

Well, murderer aside, life was still relatively normal.

* * *

A Week Later

As Nur and Yui were seen walking back home from a hospital, the former having to have to go there after they were caught in an accident on the road.

It was mostly the other driver's fault. He was the one that was too busy playing his phone as he reversed, slamming the butt of his car straight at the side of Nur's own Mercedes.

And he had the gall to say that it wasn't him. The nerve!

After that, he had basically sued the woman, absolutely miffed.

Then they went to the hospital because Yui told him to get checked, just in case he had been injured. And luckily, nothing actually happened to him, other than a dissatisfied heart. Seriously, how dare she say it was his fault, when he _didn't even move an inch_!

All in all, today was horrible, just because of that. His sour mood was bound to bring even more trouble, he knew.

"Hey Nur, do you think we should take a taxi in the meanwhile?" The teenage machina asked, getting a scoff from the man.

"You kidding? Taxis are way too expensive. I'd rather take the bus," he replied, getting a hum from the girl. He wasn't kidding, though. They tend to pay on a basis of distance and time, so it wouldn't be wrong to say that the amount they'd ask from him would kill him.

Putting away all his thoughts, there was something else that had been bothering him.

"You know, Yui, I noticed that you sometimes went out of the house on weekends. What's up with that?" He asked, confused.

"Oh… You don't need to worry too much, though. It's nothing," she chuckled, though her body signal hinted at slight nervousness. "It's just some work I have to do with a few people I know."

"Are you sure you're safe to be out on your own? If you want, I can come with you," the man offered, turned down by a shake of the head.

"No thank you. I'm perfectly capable of going on my own and coming back home safely," she said, puffing her chest out. As if to show that she would indeed be correct, no matter what.

"You sure? Crime isn't necessarily gone, you know, and there's the fact that younger people are targeted much more than adults," his words were accompanied by a frown, which was turned into a look of surprise when she tapped his forehead with two fingers.

"Tush. Such a thing is practically impossible when it comes to me, Nur Fate. For you see, I am far stronger than the average human," and to make a point, she picked up a rod of metal so conveniently placed on the ground, held it on both ends with both her hands—

*Creaaak..!*

And easily bended the item with raw power alone, looking quite smug.

It was no joke. It seems that machina seemed to possess higher strength than an ordinary human. She would probably be able to lift a car alone if she so wanted to, but there was no doubt that anyone might see her, so it was a shame that she would not be able to do so.

"…Fine. But if you _do_ get into a fight, and requires you to retaliate, try to hold yourself back. I don't want you getting sent to jail for murder," he sighed in a lazy tone, though there was no hiding the fact that he was really worried about that.

She could potentially be the mass destruction weapon that would undoubtedly end all living things… if not for the fact that she was not built for such specification.

He had designed her just to be able to function like any normal man, and he was not going to change that about her any time soon.

Resuming their walk, it was two minutes later before they finally could see the shape of their house, old as ever, yet strong like a fortress.

Although, Nur did not know what to say to his father once he gets back home. He'll probably freak out over their safety or something.

And even before Yui could mention something about how there was a cat on the street—

"..!" Three entire years of having been stuck in the world of «Sword Art Online» honed his reflexes beyond normal capabilities, and his body was already moving long before he could register what was happening.

He dropped whatever crap he was holding, and was running forwards.

*Shing..!*

"Gah..!" He felt a sharp tearing through his waist, forcing him down and he had to grasp his wound to stop it from bleeding too much. Yui at the sidelines gasped in shock, wondering how everything happened.

"Damn… Still as sharp as ever, eh..?" The man looked up, and he didn't need to look too long to recognise that silver hair, and that gaudy-looking accessory all over his ears.

"Kanamoto Atsushi… How funny. People were just taking about you a week ago," snickered Nur as he stood up, readying his fists. "Yui, go."

"W-What?! No!" She had been left frozen in place when the dangerous Johnny Black jumped out of nowhere, a strange zigzag-like knife he had in his hand just cut the younger man.

"Aww, isn't that sweet! Trying to take care of your girlfriend, eh?" The murderer cackled, his weapon at the ready.

"Oh, shut the hell up already," scoffed the ex-player as he rushed towards Johnny Black, throwing a punch that failed to connect with his enemy's lower jaw.

He will admit, years of having no practice with physical combat have actually made him quite dull. It was sad, but it was a truth that he had to deal with. So forgive him if he was failing horribly at this, but his aged body would not be able to keep up with the skills he once showed in his prime.

Ducking low to avoid the thrust of the knife, Nur quickly did an uppercut that struck squarely in Atsushi's jaw, causing him to bite his tongue and forcing him to jolt backwards, hissing in pain.

"Hah. Too old for the boxing ring?" Taunted the younger male as he blocked a strong hit aimed for his torso with his arm, before counterattacking with a roundhouse kick to the side, causing him to fall down, giving him the proper timing to strike him hard in the side of the head with another punch. "Yui, damn it, get out out here."

"No! I can't just leave you all alone!" The lass cried out.

She should have just ran away, get help or something. But something kept her in place, not letting her to do such a thing.

However, before he could manage to shout something at her again, Atsushi was screaming like a madman—one that he had been in the world of «Sword Art Online»—as he rushed at his target.

And Nur, unable to even dodge, raised his arm in an 'X' pattern over him…

Only for the knife to pass his arms, digging itself into the bare part of his neck.

It was only a second close that, right after the blade penetrated the skin, he managed to will all his strength into his final move, balling his fist with as much power he had left and translating his determination into the attack that launched itself straight at Atsushi's face.

And really, he was not sure if he was either lucky or the opposite of it when his knuckle rammed straight into the killer's eye.

"GHAAAAH!" He screamed in clear-cut pain, falling to the ground as he felt the organ of sight throb and—worst still—become loose in its socket. "DAMN YOU, YOU F**K!"

But the man never responded.

Yui, on the other hand, felt her blood run cold.

"Nur… Nur..!" Gasping, she ran to him, trying to turn him until she saw the knife sticking out of his throat. "O-Oh God..! N-No!"

He was trying to say something, but each time he did so only ended with him hacking blood onto the street, vision growing blurry with each passing second.

"W-Wait! I can, can h-help!" She ripped a piece of her skirt, forcing herself to pull the weapon out in one swift motion before pressing hard against the wound with the piece of cloth.

She was desperately trying to stop the bleeding, but there was nothing that was working. He was losing it, and she could not be sure whether it was Atsushi's screaming or her own cries that blurred everything.

But then he suddenly took her hand, looking at her with a certain gaze she had seen before.

It was trying to calm her down. To tell her that everything was going to be alright. That things were fine as always.

That she was safe. That he was happy that she was safe.

And that damned smile..!

"N-No! No no no, arghh..! I can't let, can't let you die..!" She sobbed now, tears streaming down her face like twin rivers as she forced herself to keep her hand to the cloth, pressed against his wound to make sure that he wouldn't die.

She lost so much… She didn't want him to be the same.

"I-It's…" He wanted to end his sentence, but soon enough he was gone, and there was nothing to do.

His hands felt cold, dropped against the hard ground. His head limped to the side, smile still remaining in place despite his leaving.

And, as if this were some play for some drama, the world immediately began to cry, dropping rain from the skies as one of the most important people in the entire world finally met his end.

And Yui was finally alone, her crying and the sounds of rain becoming one.

* * *

Two Days Later

It was by then that Atsushi would be tried by the court, sent immediately to the gallows to face his ultimate end, thus putting the brakes for 'Johnny Black'.

But at the cost of someone else.

After being discovered, police had made sure to keep any news of his death off the media, knowing just how much the father of the man, though a very old grandfather at this point—but with no grandchildren to love—wanted for his son.

Adam had then no longer smiled, knowing now that there was no more meaning to his own life. But he didn't commit suicide. Rather, he had just ultimately lifted his soul from his body, leaving behind the physical husk to rot and experience life.

When the day came for the ceremony of his departure, his burial, none could make it. None, except for the very same girl he had saved.

Twice, now.

Once, back in the game, when he had been there to save her at every timing. And now, when Johnny had tried to take his life, he must have also been trying to get a hit on her.

His attempts were futile, all because ofNur, who was now sitting in his own grave.

Soon enough, the world forgot of such an individual, lost to the pages of history.

* * *

Time had passed, and soon enough, Yui began to forget the days.

It was too silent in the house, only noise being their own heartbeats drumming in their own ears, for all its worth.

Yui had resorted to a life of a hermit, ultimately deciding not to interact with the outside world no longer. Why would she? It would have been a waste of time, rather than just trying to live as long as she possibly could before her data gets overwritten with some form of complicated virus and ultimately 'kill' her.

Likewise, Adam Fate looked slightly better than he initially had, but had spoken no words anymore. There was no sense of jolliness or familial love that he once emanated, replaced now with a cold shell of a dead man.

He had promised his wife, the same woman he met and fell in love with in Malaysia, to raise their son and protect him until his dying breath. And now, look at him. His son was dead earlier than he is.

He failed his duty as a father. What other reason for him to be living?

And as such, he merely tended to his daily necessities, merely whittling away as he tried to cope with the things that were happening around him.

Although, he didn't even have the mind to just think and feel anymore. He was beyond saving.

That night, Yui had said nothing to the old man, merely wishing to go to the groceries store to pick up some stuff. And of course, he never said anything, not even showing any signs of fear or worry. He just looked off into the distance, as if there was something that would be out of his grasp if he even dared to look away.

The trip was entirely uneventful, extremely painful. Each time something happened, she just did her best to ignore it, putting on a face of no emotion on her.

However, just halfway to the groceries store…

*Thump-thump.*

"Hrk…" She suddenly felt a headache coming, of which she took ahold of her head with just one hand to calm the massive pain. "What in the—"

*Thump-thump!*

"Gah..!" She finally gasped at this point, the sudden pain growing ten times stronger than the first and actually forcing her to react normally, crouching low and trying to regain her senses. "D-Damn it..! What the fu—"

*Crack.*

She didn't really know what that sort of sound entailed, but one thing for certain, she was no more in that instance, gone from the world.

* * *

In Another World, Untouched by Space and Time

"Hhhaaa…" She let out a deep breath, trying to calm her raging mind as she felt herself suddenly on her two feet. Wait, wasn't she just… Huh?

Actually taking a look around her, she didn't hide the fact that she looked immensely surprised this time, wondering just where in the world she was. Definitely not the night streets to the groceries store, that's for sure.

This space was entirely black, with no signs of life around her whatsoever.

Just where in the world is she..?

"Oh my. Well, weren't you right? She does look different," she turned around, noticing the man who looked to be in his thirties, looking at her with surprise.

And before she managed to voice out her confusion as to who the hell she was talking to—

 **"See? I told you, my good friend. Yui's changed,"** chuckled the dragon that sat a distance away, eliciting a yelp from the lass. **"Ah, hello to you. Forgive us for summoning you through a rude way."**

"W-Where the hell am I?! Who the hell are you two?!" Her outburst was entirely understandable, but both of them were surprised that she actually swore. Had she ever done so in the other worlds?

"We can't truly say, but to answer your first question, you are in our humble abode," welcomed the man with a smile. "Welcome, Yui. We brought you here to speak to you about something quite important."

"What's so important that it has to do with me?" She asked, wary. She seriously didn't have time for this sh—

"Nur," and the moment her most important person's name left the wyvern's lips, she actually flinched, instantly looking down to the ground with the expression of someone who had been forced to such a terror that which the pain cannot be mended.

He frowned, knowing just why she loved him so.

 **"We wish to help you. But in return, you must help change the wheels of fate, not for us, but for the sake of the 'Protagonist',"** explained the dragon with a requesting tone, getting a look of confusion from the machina.

"What do you mean by 'change the wheels of fate'?" She asked.

"It is exactly as how I said it. You must change the way the timeline worked, and ultimately ensure his future to be bright," the man replied. "You know of what has happened to him, correct? Memory of him being wiped clean, his utter death. You can change all of that."

"And how..? He's dead…" She didn't want to point it out, as it pained her heart to do so, but she needed to get these two idiots to know what's what.

"You're right. But we managed to bring you here. Who's to say that we can't bring him back?" His chuckle was utterly miffing. But the moment his words clicked in, her eyes shot wide.

"Y-You can bring him back?" The two beings of this room nodded. "T-Then please..! Can't you—"

 **"Though we said that we can indeed bring him back, this world is due for pure ruin. No one will remember him, and there would be nothing to fix the sins of the world,"** sighed the dragon, a regretful look present. He immediately saw her frown, deflating slightly at his words, prompting him to continue. **"That's why you must return to his time. To when he was still in «Sword Art Online», and ultimately change the flow of the world from there."**

"W-What? But how…" She wanted nothing more than to be with her best friend again, her crush even… She didn't care anymore.

"Umm, we brought you here. It wouldn't be impossible to send you to the past, you know," once more the human chuckled, getting a gasp from the machina. "However, our liege has requested of you to switch your identity."

 **"And you won't be doing this on your own, of course,"** and immediately, the dragon gestured to these strange glass pods to the side.

There were four of them, all with fluids that looked like those from sci-fi movies. And inside them were four separate beings; a girl with maroon hair, another child with silver hair, a black-white cat, and an albino dog.

She looked at each of them, somehow feeling like she knew them for so long, when this was only the first time she's ever laid eyes on them.

"Shuvi, Shiro, Morgana and Koromaru respectively. They, with you, shall ultimately aid him on his journey to save both himself, others and possibly the world as well," the man spoke with conviction, grinning. "That's why we want you to do this."

He raised his hand, and with just a simple wave of it, her clothes glowed bright, forcing her to shield them with her arm.

When she brought down her arms after the light died down, she felt a gasp leave her. Part of her long hair tied beautifully into a pony tail behind, leaving just the rest. She was in what seemed to be a dark purple undersuit, with a separate skirt and black leggings with belts over them, completed with black boots. The part from below her shoulder to her hand were covered in purple cloth that had feather-like looks.

She felt so alive in this, all of a sudden.

Then, as she was busy looking at herself, the man suddenly held a mask in front of her, surprising her.

"Nur will recognise anyone from just a simple glance alone. And to keep your identity a secret from him, you must wear this," the man said.

She looked at it, a beautiful pink with purple flower-like details coming slightly out of it.

She didn't have the words for it. It was like a mask for a royal queen, or for some mysterious fighter.

"Of course, you have a choice. We will not force you to do this," he spoke quickly after noticing what seemed to have been hesitation in her eyes. "We will return you back to your time, and—"

He didn't even finish before she took the mask, wearing it.

"…I want to see him again, so badly. I don't even care if this is the young him, I love him just as much," she spoke, and even though the mask rendered her eyes covered from the rest of the world, he could see determination shining in them. "What will be my new name?"

The two beings took a moment to look at her, before they finally just laughed. Looks like it didn't take too much to get her in on this plan.

 **"Persona Vabel,"** the dragon answered, still smiling.

* * *

Present Time

And such existed Yui, now Persona Vabel, as she continued to watch over her friend from the shadows, but so many things had gone in ways that she had never expected.

With the presence of Shiro and Shuvi in his life, the boy had grown to develop a wish to protect everyone, prompting him to reach out to others and ultimately form a guild—the «Blank»—with those around him.

She was shocked by so many things. Klein was not the leader of the «Furinkazan», Asuna never joined the «Knights of Blood», PoH swore ultimate loyalty to Nur, Rosalia was not apprehended, her own past self never got converted into data by Cardinal, and it seems that way more shocking things occurred.

The littlest things really do make quite the impact?

And she swore herself to be his guardian fallen—she wanted to say angel, but she'd rather think of herself a fallen angel. For achieving such heights by his side once, having descended into madness after his death.

That was why she had been following him just about everywhere he went, protecting him from several things without anyone noticing.

She watched some of his friends, including her past self, leave Heathcliff's room, Nier probably wanting to speak to Heathcliff—her father—about something.

She smiled in adoration, happy to know that in this new timeline, that this past has been rewritten, there is hope for both him and everyone.

However, therein existed the problem that he was just as interested in romance as the old man he had grown to become.

Well, that was going to change soon. That, she swore on her name, Persona Vabel.

'For you,' she promised in her heart, a hand on her rapier. 'I will do anything, Nur.'

* * *

In their room as always, both man and dragon could not help but notice the sheer conviction that rested in the machina's being.

She had changed so much. She no longer swore, but she did retain that lady-like aura she carried with her before. And to make things official, she was a thirty-year-old A.I. in the body of a girl who's just reached sixteen years old.

She was beautiful, but there was something behind her actions that had them wondering as to what was happening.

"Do you think she loves him?" He asked to his friend, who just chuckled back. There was a slight hint of disbelief, mostly overshadowed by amusement and assent.

 **"Oh, absolutely. Don't you remember? The first time we brought her here, mentioning the fact that we were gonna' send her to his time immediately got her on board,"** the beast made a mental note of that day, remembering just how desperate she had been. **"Vabel-chan really wants to save him."**

"We all do. I'm just impressed he still can't save himself from everyone's attention," the man on the throne just laughed heartily, utterly enjoying that running gag.

Still hasn't gone old, it seems.

"Well, there is still much to be done. And, I don't know… I suppose we could give some spoilers," he snickered, a knowing look in the dragon's eyes.

 **"Aah, yes… Romantic, it will be. Just that it will take a much longer time until it shall come,"** nodded the dragon. **"Now then, let us be witness to the world of virtual data."**

The game was still on.

* * *

 **A/N: And thus, the plans have been set in motion.**

 **Surprised with the chapter? This is just to show a little background as to how the non-Sword Art Online characters managed to enter the story, with a Yui from the future part of them.**

 **Now, just to let you all know, I am _not_ going to go full 'Millennium Twilight'. While, yes, I do love my crossing over―all because I've been reading too many Highschool DxD fanfics that do exactly that―I'm going to try to stick to the original story as much as I could without going too over.**

 **And so, Persona Vabel enters the scene, ready to assist our 'Protagonist' from the shadows. And to think that his siblings, as well as Morgana and Koromaru, had been created by the two beings of the strange room. How about that? And just when will she truly make her appearance? Only time will tell, I suppose.**

 **So, what did you guys think? Way too strange? Outright shocking? I thought it was fitting, but that's just me. Leave a comment if you'd like! And as always, be ready for more, guys! This train ride's definitely going to be a really long one, I can assure you.**

 **Bye for now! *Poof!***


	19. Chapter 17

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

 _"The game is done."_ \- Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 17: Let's Play Some More'`

 _Amongst the multitude of players that risked blood and body to be free from this retched cage called «Sword Art Online», one certain person stood out._

 _He lived as a simple person, having commanded a group of players all of whom he sees as his closest comrades, and those that he trusted with all his life._

 _And his determination to see them through this battle, to smile with them even when the world of data ultimately collapses as a sign of their victory, he would be there._

 _To find them, and love them all over again. So he will fight._

* * *

Floor 55: Granzam

"What?" Heathcliff wasn't sure as to how to respond to that question. "Come again?"

"Uhh, I'd like a list of the most powerful mobs in the game that you can think of. The stronger, the better," the boy repeated, sounding so laid back as he spoke. "So, any ideas?"

The commander sat in his chair, pondering. Why would Nier actually want to know that? To grind some EXP. for himself? Well, isn't that a fine how-do-you-do, but that would be far too difficult for just one—

Actually, never mind. This was Nier he was talking about, and he himself slew the bosses on floor seventy-one and seventy-two on his own. Yes, he went with his guild, but you get the gist.

There were so many questions that he had in his mind. Why did he want to know? What was he going to do? Suicide? Killing spree? Just for fun? Needless to say, the boy had him curious without even trying.

"Well… There is «X'rphan the White Wyrm» located somewhere in the 'West Mountain'," the commander pointed out the window, with a large range of mountains with snow being seen. "If you plan to go there, you will need to bring warm drinks and a multitude of thick outfits. The storm up there is extremely unforgiving."

"Yeah, I can tell," he sighed.

There had been news of people foolishly going up there unprepared. As such, even before they managed to fight any bosses or the like, they'd probably back out immediately due to how cold it was.

Thankfully, Nier had upgraded his own 'Warmth' skill, which should counter the cold climates.

Back to the topic, Nier wrote down the information into his book, humming a tone he had remembered listening to on the radio back when he was a kid.

"Anything else that you may recommend?" The boy continued writing characters onto the pages.

"I had heard of a fish-like creature on the floor of your base, though I'm not entirely certain where to find it," the commander said, thinking. "It's quite strong, although no one has seen it yet. Maybe it's located in a secret area?"

"Well, I'll make sure to keep a look out for any suspicious area, thank you," the boy nodded, before looking up from the book. "Tell me, Heathcliff. Have there been reports of any overpowered mobs before this?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but… Actually, never mind. I trust that you would be fine, considering the fact that you've taken care of the bosses on floor twenty-one and twenty-two on your own," the man chuckled, earning a groan from the younger player.

"For the last time, my guild were there with me. I would've been dead if I really charged in there on my own," there was a voice in the back of his head that said otherwise, but he shut it down immediately. No way he would be able to survive against a mob on his own.

Again, his own thoughts. Were he to ask others about this, no doubt they would agree with Heathcliff's words.

"Fine, fine, I won't comment any longer. And for your information, yes, there is. News of a peculiar field boss somewhere on floor ten have spread, though not entirely popular since most players are mostly on the higher floors, and can just use the 'Teleport Gates' to get to the other floors," he said, earning a nod from the boy.

"How dangerous is it?" He asked once more.

"The information broker who found the monster said that it was extremely powerful. And it was… Actually, can you give me your book?" Nodding, Nier passed the book to the man, with the quill as well.

He watched as the man start to draw something of a four-legged creature onto a free page. Then he redrew them slightly to make the legs a bit more bigger, though retaining a slim build unlike usual beasts. When he drew wings on the back, it must have been a dragon. And yet, there was a strange pair of 'claws' connected to the wings, which was rather interesting.

It looked like a common dragon, and yet possessed a specialty all on its own. Certainly not to be underestimated in a battle, perhaps.

"What is this?" When he took his book once more—and taking a moment to appreciate Heathcliff's amazing drawing skills—he was turning it a few times just to get a good understanding of it.

"I'm not sure. They never found its name, as they were, as they put, 'Too busy trying not to get freaked'. Well, they swore, of course," he offered a smile in return. "I assume this is what you'd like to know?"

"Oh, yeah. I've got everything I need to know," the «Blank» made a nod. "Thanks."

"It is my pleasure," and he watched as the child leave the room, his head still trying to wrap around what he was trying to do.

Ah well, probably something interesting.

* * *

 **"So Nier, done talking with Heathcliff?"** Tatl asked, earning a nod from her human friend. **"Great! Now let's get home and get some lunch!"**

"Sure, but there's something that I need to know first," the fairies, as everyone else, turned to look at him in curiosity. "How does one become a «Beast Tamer»?"

"We're not sure. You're going to have to ask Silica that. Sorry," Yuna chuckled sheepishly, earning a wave of the hand from Nier.

"Don't worry it. For now, let's just get home. And Tatl's right," just as he said that, a rumble emanated from his stomach, in which he responded to everyone's slight titters with his own chuckle. What was there to be embarrassed about, he thought to himself. "I'm hungry too."

* * *

Floor 22: Coral

Arriving home, none of them wasted time to get to their living quarters. Sachi and Yolko went out to buy some groceries, so they will be waiting for them to get back before they get down with lunch.

Once the two bluenettes got back, Yuna and Asuna—at this rate, they were always being delegated to kitchen duty. By their own will, of course—didn't waste time to start on lunch, making a vast range of dishes that would surely satisfy any hungry man.

A long time passed as everyone enjoyed what was on the table, chatting with each other about things. It was always nice to eat together like this, Nier thought.

"Yuna, Asuna, this is delicious. Thanks for making this," he set down his spoon, smiling in content.

"O-Of course," Yuna nodded.  
"Anytime," Asuna smiled back.

"Hey Nier," the boy turned to Agil. "I've got stuff to do at my shop."

"Same here," Lisbeth added. "People are gonna' be mad if I'm not there, so we'd like to go on ahead first."

"Yeah, of course," the boy nodded. "Lux, with Liz. Argo, go with Agil. Silica, I'd like to speak to you first. Everyone else, you're free to relax or whatever."

"Okay!" Lux nodded, following the pink-haired blacksmith.

"Hey Agil, hold up," Argo finished just the last of her rice before rushing after the titan-like man, picking up her cloak from the coat rack near the door.

There was no way he was going to let his friends go off on their own. It's already bad enough that «Bloody Coffin's» decided to do a little reawakening, but player-killing in general was still a thing, even without the self-proclaimed 'red guild'.

Just to be sure, something that his friends appreciated from him.

Plus, both Lux and Argo were cute, and would undoubtedly attract attention onto Lisbeth's and Agil's shop. That would help out with business, no?

Outside the house, the aforementioned girls couldn't help but feel a smile draw themselves on their faces, as if their leader had just talked about them. And Liz, well… She had the opposite of a smile on her face, not knowing why she suddenly felt envious. And Agil?

He turned around, taking one glance at Nier, and sighing. No doubt it was because of him that the girls were acting as they are right now.

"Nier, you called?" The second-youngest member of the guild got to his side not even a minute later, expecting something.

*Skraa!*

"Whoa," the boy jumped slightly when the little «Feathered Dragon» suddenly jumped onto his lap, giving a little chirp before sleeping. He gave a few pats on her head before speaking to her master. "So Silica, can I ask how you became a «Beast Tamer»?"

"Umm… Wow, it's been really long," she looked up at the ceiling, trying to pick apart the memories in her head. "I'm not entirely sure, but… If I'm not wrong, it was on, on floor eight, I think. Somewhere in 'Frieven Village'. There was a church where, if the players can satisfy a criteria given by the head priest, they can become «Beast Tamers»."

"Really? Hmm… Well, I know where I'm going tomorrow," there was a slight pause between his words, before he looked towards Asuna. "Hey Asuna, ask Lisbeth later if she can come with me, you and Silica will be coming along with me to floor eight tomorrow."

"S-Sure," she wasn't necessarily against it. In fact, she was more than happy to do so. When was the last time she's gone out with him?

And though a part of her would have loved nothing more than to go alone with him, he looked at things through a battling perspective. With numbers, it meant more protection. And when things turn south, then they'd be able to keep each other's backs safe from danger.

She sighed, knowing that her crush meant well. But still, not being able to just be alone with him was kinda' painful, though she could only imagine how the others feel that way each time he's asked them to accompany them.

Still, it was still a chance to come with him. And there was no way she was going to pass up on the chance.

"Silica, you don't mind? Unless you have anything else to do, of course," the younger girl took a minute to understand what he said, before shaking her head.

"N-No! I have nothing to do! I can come with you!" She nodded.

*Skrea!*

"See? Even Pina agrees!" She giggled at the sight before her, as the little dragon enjoy the lap that belonged to her leader.

A strange thing to note, honestly. The little «Feathered Dragon» was afraid of humans, and yet, it continues to approach Nier, making him her little sanctuary anytime she wants to get some rest. Many have tried to get her to like them, but with little success.

Funny. Nier did absolutely nothing, yet gained the little dragon's heart. Just like it did with hers—

"E-Eehh?!" Her face turned absolutely crimson when her mind crossed that thought, opting to burry her face in her hands.

"You alright?" Nier tilted his head, a confused expression on his face.

"I-It's nothing!" She laughed, though it sounded more nervous than anything. "A-Anyways! I t-think I'll get some training done! C'mon, Pina!"

*Skea!*

Though somewhat reluctant to just leave her new favourite, she followed after her master, flying in the air. Nier watched on as the girl almost tumble onto the floor, barely catching herself before making her way out of the house and towards the lake.

"Well, that was something," he whistled, not even jumping when his vision suddenly went black. He could sense someone just behind him. "Yes, Yui?"

"Wow, you knew it was me without even looking!" The girl giggled, pulling her lithe hands away from the boy's eyes. He turned his neck around, staring at her smiling face. "Neh, Nier. Rosalia and Philia wants your help with training. Klein says he wants in on some training too. Silica's there too, but she looks nervous about something."

"Ehh, I'm sure something happened," he shrugged, not realising the cause of her condition. "Welp, let's get down to it. Asuna, wanna' watch?"

"Mmhm, I'm coming," she stood up from the couch, putting down the tome she had been reading previously.

* * *

A Few Moments Later

*Twang!*

His eyes were narrowed, breathing kept steady as he pulled on the string, letting it release and fly into the target, right on the bullseye.

When had he ever decided to wield his bow? Possibly a long time ago ever since he's gained «Monado». Only now, when Yui suddenly asked him whether he used something besides his two swords, did he finally decide to take a shoot at the target.

However, that was just his fifth shot. The previous four were lacking, in the rings surrounding the centre spot.

He could almost hear the snide in his head, mocking him for his inability to actually maintain his skill. He was thankful that the bow was not alive, lest he be constantly faced with the words of a pitiful thing for being neglected for so long.

'I'll make sure to use you more, old friend,' it was strange to think a weapon as a friend, but it did keep him alive those times ago. For now, he needed to focus on sharpening his skills once more.

But for now, he needed to see how the others were, so he put away his weapon.

*Shing!*

"Damn! You're fast!" Klein gritted his teeth as he raised his katana, blocking his fellow redhead's naginata, with smooth etchings of kanji on the surface of the blade, acting as a charm for the weapon, boosting the wielder's 'Defense' stat by five points.

It was all so simple! With Argo's help, he managed to find a suitable weapon for the woman, in which it was so clear that the most suitable weapon to be used was naginata, since it was a pole arm that was suitable for swinging motions, unlike regular javelins or spears that were meant to be thrust.

He knew of the existence of the weapon, one of the traditional weapons of the Japanese soldiers. Used mainly by samurai, as well as the _ashigaru_ and _sōhei_. They were more associated with the _Onna-bugeisha_ , the women fighters in Japan. Though mentioned to have appeared only during the Nara period, physical appearances dated somewhere around mid-Kamakura period, and appeared in the Genpei War, during the Edo Period and—

"Ahem," the boy coughed into his fist, sweat-dropping. "Maybe I'm getting _too_ carried away."

In any case, he had forgotten all about it because the spears were the more popular weapons that were pointed out in the section of pole arms. The weapon was overshadowed by the typical spears, all attention directed at that single weapon.

Luckily, Argo had retained all her knowledge over the weapons that had been available in the game since the beta, and they were lucky that nothing had been switched.

And Rosalia, ever since she got her new weapon, was fighting like a boss.

"Move faster, Klein, or you'll get your butt kicked by a woman," the boy hollered from where he stood, laughing casually at his friend's struggle.

"Shut up, man! I'm not you—ow!" He jolted backwards when the butt of her weapon slammed into his stomach, requiring him to jump back. "Ohh, I'm gonna' get you!"

"You may as well try, but I won't back down," she challenged him with that one smirk she had each time she was getting the advantage over her opponent. And man, he couldn't deny that it felt great fighting her.

"While you two have fun sparring," and his gaze turned to the spot where Philia was helping Silica trying to get more used to her weapon, and it seems that they were making good progress. "Hey Asuna, wanna'—"

"Umm… As much as I would love to," and the way she was making sure to keep her distance away from him, rapier in hand with a shaky smile just made him curious. "I think I'll pass."

"Really? Well, yeah, alright," he nodded, deciding to leave it there.

The simple fact? She's been beaten by him so many times she'd rather _not_ lose anymore.

Still, it just meant that she could count on him to be safe. And that simple reminder would be with her until the end of the game.

"Hey Nier!" The boy turned to his best friend, who ran past him, overjoyed expression on his face the moment his hand touched the younger boy's shoulder. "Switch!"

"Wait, what? I... Oh, fine," he rolled his eyes, rushing towards Rosalia with his bow, holding it at his side. "Sorry about this!"

"Wait, I'm not—" But she couldn't change her leader's decision now. So, with a groan, she decided to hold herself against him.

Without nocking a bow on the string, he drew it in a fashion similar to a katana, smashing her chest armour with his bow, which he had designed to be compatible with close combat. The blow behind his attack sent her reeling backwards, but she managed to remain steady.

Cracking her neck, she moved in for the kill, twisting her weapon in a whirlpool-like motion, yet failing to get a hit at him. He brought up his bow to block one attack, before he slammed it into her once more, this time getting a hack of spit from her, flying into the air before landing on the soil.

Muttering an apology towards her, he lunged himself at her, sending her down before getting an arrow to his string, pulling it back and aiming it straight at the centre of her forehead.

"Well, that's that," he was not even panting, unlike her, who looked like she had been running fifty miles.

"How… are you… so good..?" She was breathless, literally, as she laid on the ground, with him saddling her by the waist area. Thank God he wasn't applying pressure there or she'd be experiencing a painful… how much did he weight?

"Meh, I'm average at best," he shrugged, ever the modest fellow. Standing up, he offered the older player a hand, which she took. Standing up once more, he picked up her naginata before giving it to her. "You need to improve on the areas of which to block. Your legs are the most revealed, and the chest plate's looking like it needs better working on."

"Nngh… Understood," she nodded, knowing that the boy was right.

"Well then! Does anyone else need help?" He turned on his spot, looking at Philia. "Are things good on your end?"

"Of course," she nodded with a smile, just happy that he was here. Although…

Her gaze drifted towards Rosalia for just a moment, before looking back at Nier. Oh, would she kill to be in her shoes that moment…

"Kay'. Just call me if anything comes up," he nodded, ready to just make leave for the lake close by—for fishing practice yet again—until he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking behind him, it was Asuna, who had a determined look on her face. "Yeah?"

"I think I'll take up on your offer. I'd like to train with you," she said, not even giving him a choice as she dragged him to the sparring area.

"Okay, okay, coming," he chuckled, deciding that this was better than nothing.

It was only when he was standing at his spot, tugging on his bowstring lightly before turning to look at Asuna did he feel himself mentally jump.

She was staring at him without that simple look of a beautiful girl. She wasn't smiling, wasn't laughing, she was now «The Flash», known by all as the 'Vice Commander' of the «Blank» and a person who has carried the team through thick and thin, duelling powerful opponents and won.

She was being serious this time, and was dead-set on winning, unlike their previous sparring sessions.

'Well, then I can't take her lightly,' with that thought in mind, he slung his bow around his back, clipping «Binary» to his belt, flapping aside his coat to make some space, and producing «Monado» in his right hand.

*Bzz!*

The blade hummed its vibrant sound, ready for action. A hue of light blue painted itself on the redness of the sword, with the plasma being emanated from it indicating its readiness to defeat its master's opponent.

The sword of black and white resting close to his belt glowed briefly, his own willpower brimming out of the blade. As if his soul had been merged with the sword itself, ready to overpower those that crossed his way.

The bow on his back spoke no words, merely existing and being ready to be weld. He would not toss it aside, knowing just how much it would help him against her.

She was going to take him on with all her will, and it would be an insult to not take her seriously. Right now, this was going to be a battle between two swordsmen.

He sent her a duel request, setting the timer to nil. Criteria; reduce the opponent's health to half. She accepted the rules, tapping on the blue button.

He lowered himself slightly, ready to make use of the various skills he's picked up his whole life in here. Time to play the game.

"Three," he counted down along with the timer, never breaking eye contact with Asuna, who stared back. As if they were in a staring competition.

"Two," she resumed, feeling her heartbeat in her ears. Truth be told, she didn't want to spar him, but just needed to vent her recently-gained frustration after seeing her crush on top of Rosalia.

And she barely even reacted! How dare she!

'So lucky…' She mumbled in her mind. Though this was just to lose some stress, she hoped fully that she was going to win this time.

"One," and the timer struck zero right after his final words. "Asciente."

 ***Under Night In-Birth—Purity & Strictly (Play Song)***

He let a breath leave his lips before he broke into a run, moving towards the girl at a speed far more dangerous than anything she's seen.

She managed to bring her rapier up to block his attack, failing to parry due to his insane speed level. Taking her moment of openness to strike, he swung «Monado» at her, yet fail to hit her this time.

Jumping back slightly, she activated «Linear», in which her body entered a stance and she jetted forwards, the tip of her sword barely grazing against his coat. With a snicker—

"«Monado: Eater»!" The sword emanated a temporary black colour, before he swung it towards her, successfully hitting her and causing a 'Bleed' effect on her.

Clicking her tongue, with a short moment to berate herself for letting her guard down too early, let alone at all, she moved in for the kill, allowing her «Battle Heal» skill to heal her with time.

She lunged at him, striking his blade with a fast combo before targeting his leg. Noticing this, he brought his sword down to block, only to quickly raise it to defend his face, before moving it to his right to protect his ribs.

She was moving too fast, unpredictable so to keep him off his cool. A part of him was screaming at him to keep up with her, whilst the other praised her for being able to do such a thing.

Activating «Quadruple Pain», her rapier shone a brilliant glow of greens and blues before she thrust the sword in multiple strokes, striking him at varying places.

"Khh..!" He managed to deflect two, but the other two hits were able to make a dent in his health bar. 'Too fast! I can't rely on the «Monado» in this one!'

Knowing that he had to keep up with her, seeing that using the buster blade-like sword required his swings to take up more time, which meant that his own recovery time would be longer. This was different with a katana, since the slim build of the weapon meant little air resistance, thus faster time of recovery.

Plus, though it wasn't all that heavy, it would still make him lose his balance if he weren't being careful. The constant attacks from all sides would no doubt topple him if it goes on too long.

"Sorry about this," he spoke to the sword, before letting his grip over its handle loosen, allowing the blade to slip out of his grasp and drop to the ground. He moved his right hand to the hilt of «Binary», drawing it at the exact moment Asuna's rapier was justified to be a mere metre away from him. "Hrhhaa!"

Applying force into his sword, he pushed her back, giving him the chance to get a strike at her. And yet, she managed to dodge him, leaving dust in her fade.

Not deciding to give up there, he decided to go for it, swinging multiple of times in her direction to try and get her, though to no avail.

Flicking his left hand in the air, manipulating a large kite shield into his hand, he used it to block her incoming attack. Shoving her to the side, he unequipped it before rushing forth, diving in with an uncharged «Horizontal», which nearly got her if not for the fact that she managed to use «Linear» and move out of his trajectory, much to his chagrin.

This was so getting out of hand.

He jumped in the air, twisting a few times before reaching the ground, slamming his sword straight into the earth. Hitting nothing, he pulled it out in one swift motion before raising his sword into the air, charging it up before unleashing a powerful spin attack, the energy accumulated in the short time manifesting as a physical extension of the sword that helped it cover a wide range.

This was a technique that he had perfected over time, with help from Strea and Nautilus, both of whom were also single-handed sword users. It was an idea that she had pitched in one day, and one he decided to make reality.

The attack was successful, catching the rapier-wielder of guard and inflicting damage upon damage unto her, the attack causing a 'trapping' motion in its range and thus causing her to remain stuck in the attack, forced to receive blow after blow until his swing ended, sending her backwards.

"Ghauh..!" She got up on her feet just as quick, taking one quick look at her health bar. Not good, apparently. 'A few more attacks and it'll turn half… I need to make sure he won't get—'

Nier, on the other hand, opted to just charge her, remaining silent as he focused all his efforts on beating her.

'On second thought, I'll just deal with him for now!' And she cut her thoughts shortly after to deal with the boy, parrying his blade and striking at him, in which he retaliated with a quick attack, barely grazing her arm.

The 'tails' of his coat flapped multiple times as he jumped and ran, his countless tries at getting at her only a few inches at hitting her, before she deftly blocks, parries or sidesteps his attacks. Her own jabs at him were beginning to grow useless.

With his weapon change, he was proving to be much adept at keeping up with the fast pace of the battle, not at all faltering against her speed. He really was good, she had to admit.

He quickly ducked, with Asuna missing her attack, which was honestly aimed for his neck. Not missing a beat, he swung upwards, slicing into her armour and against her.

"Hyhaa..!" She stumbled backwards slightly, but did not give up.

She was dancing towards him once more, flicking his sword with hers own, not allowing him the chance to actually retaliate. Even so, he twisted his weapon in his hand, acting as a distraction that gave him just enough time to actually activate «Vertical», which struck her twice.

"Ghkh… You're good..!" She chuckled in the midst of the fight, jumping back and striking his blade with the end of her rapier, before charging up a «Linear», which sent her propelling forwards like a bullet.

And yet, he avoided her just as easily as before, pivoting over her and managing to whisper in her ear, which he never noticed sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine.

"And you're good too," was all he said before picking up «Monado» once he reached the ground again, but this time—

*Bzz!*

"Huh?" Turning on her heels, she went wide-eyed as she saw both swords in his hand, with the «Monado» in his left, vibrant colours ready to defeat.

"Never done two swords before, but screw it!" And without further ado, he went in swinging.

*Ching!*

This felt much more different. He was able to combine the power of the red sword with the balanced stat lines of his primary weapons, matching both the strength and speed together perfectly.

This resulted in the perfect movement of his, allowing him to match up against her perfectly, deflecting her attacks no matter where she aligned her weapon to strike from. And more than that, it seemed like he was actually much fit attacking her with this stance!

It had been so sudden, so discreet, that he hadn't noticed his sudden addition to his skills list until one late night, in which he was told that he could wield two weapons at the same time.

«Dual Wielding».

And yet, this was honestly the first time he is actually using it, so he felt his movement slightly lacking, slow and clumsy. Still, he seemed to be able to take care of Asuna, so he must be doing things right.

Nier got a hold of the ground using his boot, stomping it down before bringing up «Monado» to parry her attack, forcing her backwards before striking at her with «Binary».

"«Monado: Buster»"! The plasma blade charged up, growing a dark shade of blue before it grew longer, acting as his cue to swing the blade down onto her.

When she dodged it by stepping to the side, Nier charged up a «Sword Skill» with his black and white sword, jumping at the rapier-wielder and striking her hard in the side.

The blade on his left was going to make him fall, but this was necessary.

One sword to guard, and give him the boosts he would need. The other for him to wield in an offensive way, countering her attacks with his own.

He was not going to let up, instead unleashing countless blows onto her, not allowing her to get back on the offensive herself. He was going to keep the pressure on her, until he would find himself the most suitable timing to let loose the killing blow.

*Shing!*

'There…' He noted the way that, whenever she thrusted, he would be able to keep her attacks off of him for just a second or two if he successfully parries her. 'I'd need to charge «Monado: Buster» at that time then.'

With a mental command, the red sword began to power up its plasma blade, utterly leaving his left arm completely open. Even so, he still had «Binary», and with it, he was going to keep fighting.

'Now!' With hope in her eyes, Asuna propelled herself forwards, blade glowing brightly until it clashed against «Binary». He swiped it forwards, sending her staggering slightly. "No!"

"Yup!" He basically confirmed her fears, and as the sound of his sword making a satisfying 'clink' sound, meant that he was good to go.

With that, he drew his sword to his right, drawing a massive arc that cut into the lass's body armour and white clothing that left a bright red mark on her body, sending her skidding back into the ground.

A ringing sound could be heard.

 ***Under Night In-Birth—Purity & Strictly (End Song)***

Nier could see the health bars on either sides of the notification in the air, with his health points displaying a fine colour of green, whereas hers sat on the middle, yellow in colour.

"C-Crud…" Body experiencing slight pain, she managed to stand up, albeit a tad bit shaky. Her mind was spinning, what with the heat of the battle that she just went through.

"You alright over there? Kinda' went overboard," Nier jogged over to her, expressing his concern. She shook her head, though panting a bit.

"I'm… fine. Really," she tried to sound convincing, but judging by how she looked to be ready to collapse, it didn't help much. He opted to give her his shoulder, slinging her arm over it. "Thanks…"

"It's cool. And again, sorry for that. Let's get you a place to sit at. And rest," his word was final, and she found herself agreeing with it all the more.

As he made his way to the living quarters, his friends trailed behind him.

* * *

That Night

"Man, you were amazing, Nier!" Yui was restless that night, sporting a massive grin that displayed all the awe and amazement she felt. "You were so fast! And you used both «Binary» and «Monado» at the same time!"

 **"I agree with her on that. And though I had suspicions of you possessing such a skill, I didn't actually expect you to be so good at it. Well done,"** Tael praised with a happy tone, floating right above the two humans.

"As much as I would love to call it exactly dual-wielding, it… kinda' isn't, I guess?" He rubbed the back of his neck, earning perplexed looks from the other three, with Tatl on her the bed she shares with her brother, which was on a shelf to the bed's right. "To be honest? I was actually using only «Binary» to fight her all this time."

"Huh? But what about the «Monado» then?" Tatl asked, quite confused with his words.

"Well, maybe you guys didn't notice, but all this while, I've been using the «Monado» to just block her attacks. Notice how less I've been using it to attack her?" Everyone made nods. "That's what I used «Binary» for. The «Monado» was too heavy to use."

He laid down, trying to think of something to say.

"In fact… It wasn't really the «Monado's» fault, but rather, it's because I've never really tried wielding two swords at the same time," he shrugged, feeling the bed shake slightly. Yui had lied down too, it seems. "It's like getting someone here to use something besides the weapon they've always used. That's just how it is, I suppose."

 **"Hmm… I guess you're right. Then all you have to do is work hard to train yourself with the skill next time,"** the black fairy hummed in understanding.

"But still! You were awesome out there! No doubt, everyone would say how cool you looked during your fight with Asuna!" The little girl giggled, not missing his chuckle.

"Whatever you say, Yui," he rolled his eyes in amusement, before breaking the fall of his head with his pillow. "Night, guys…"

"Good night!"  
 **"Yes. Pleasant dreams, Nier."**  
 **"See ya' tomorrow."**

And the world of sleep came forth.

* * *

That Night

It was still a busy effort from the adults, trying to crack into the system. Even with the combined help from Adam—as mentioned before, he possesses a degree in programming and coding—as well as his daughters, none of them made much progress.

Still, it wasn't like they were going to stop there.

"He's planning on becoming a «Beast Tamer»? That would certainly be a sight," Shuvi hummed, watching the weather broadcast that was, quite literally, boring.

It's already close to being half of the year, and yet there had been no signs of the players getting close to the exit. Yes, they've already completed at least three quarters of the game by now, but that meant there was still twenty-five more floors to tackle, and that worried the Prüfer.

As far as she's concerned, most of what has been tossed at the players were designed to kill, and no doubt they would be unable to make progress if things continue that way.

She bit her thumb, wondering just how her brother was going to take care of that.

Nier was incredible, that much was a given. It's already shown by how he managed to defeat a fast opponent, Asuna no less, with pure tactics and thinking things straight. Each of his moves were planned out carefully, she could tell, and even the slightest mistake would have made everything go south for him.

It was a close call for him, but wielding both the swords at the same time was the right decision.

And yet, there was something nagging at her. Each time she broke into the system, just to pick apart information about the game that she would pass onto Shiro, in which her twin sister would pass on to Nier, she had found something of interest.

In the first floor, the dungeon underneath the 'Black Iron Palace' had strange encryptions of a person, constantly referred to as 'He'. That had her dig deeper into the game files, and what she found was…

Lore. Or pieces of it at least.

There was a story, a well-written one at that, about someone who once lived in the game, having fought alongside everyone who Nier's with as of currently.

Wait, what?

As far as she knows—and she knows everything, considering the simple fact that she is a Prüfer—Nier's friends had never entered this game before, so how is it that the game files contained this… about _someone_ meeting them before her brother had?

And she was certain to a fault that whoever had written about this, this 'He' was definitely not Nier. There was the description of the person being slightly older than the currently thirteen-years-old boy, and using two swords that she's never heard at all. And there was something else about the person. That they…

Actually, it felt off. There was no reason for Kayaba, or anyone for the matter of fact, to place in this strange story into the game's files. What was there to accomplish with this? There had been no quests revolving this strange context, and there had been no mentions about it—

"There is, Nii," Shiro's voice broke her twin sister's focus, bringing her to reality once more and staring away from the screen and into her red eyes. "Remember? When Nii went to the palace?"

"Ahh…" She found herself actually understanding what she meant, and it made sense.

Tatl and Tael, the two fairies, had actually translated the strange texts at the pillar, stating a sense of familiarity with the 'He' mentioned in the text.

Still, it was a mystery all on its own, and she supposed it was fine to push it to the side.

"Shiro, are you done coding the data?" She asked, earning a nod from the little white-haired girl.

"Hai. I've made sure that the mob's data is properly implemented into the game," she pointed to her computer, with so many task windows held up and a bright green bar at the very top, indicating her completed task.

"Well, that should speed things up," the Prüfer sat back, sighing. "Kayaba is probably wondering where all the mobs come from… Do you think he knows someone's hacked it by now?"

"Maybe," Shiro replied simply, leaning on her sister's shoulder, a soft purr from her lips.

"Well, things should be relatively fine," the older sister hummed, staring at the TV. It was showing the other players who were still up and about in the in-game world, where night time had rolled in. Nur and his guild were asleep, though many were betting on him being awake right now and doing some training.

"Achoo!" Nier felt an expulsion of air through his nostrils, rubbing his eyes and sniffing a bit. He looked up into the sky, which was, to be fair, the next floor. But still, it didn't really matter. "Huh. That came out of nowhere."

He only hoped that, if someone was talking about him, it was nothing bad about him.

Sure, he may be a dummy at times, but at least take it easy on him.

* * *

Meanwhile

"Hmm… Certainly something wrong with the system," Heathcliff hummed to himself, sitting at the porch of his villa.

It was not a bad home, to be honest. Located on 'Selmburg' on floor sixty-one, with a comfortable living room that had a shelf with quite the number of tomes, a table with couches surrounding it and other little trinkets lined up along his windowsill. There was a path to his kitchen area, and to the left was his own bedroom. Outside his villa, there was a porch with fencing and a comfortable chair there, of which he was currently sitting on.

The villa of his overlooked the beautiful lake that made up almost the entirety of this floor, beautifully shimmering with the shine from the dipping sun.

This was the only time he had to actually kick back and just relax. Work at his guild was always tiring, much more than going out for boss fights.

He sighed. Sure, he took on the job as commander for the guild, but couldn't they at least go easy on him with the paperwork? He had a secretary, for crying out loud!

Unbeknownst to him, however, said secretary was far too busy getting drunk on ale, although the ability to actually get drunk in the game was impossible. Still, ale tasted like ale, and there was no way he was not gonna' pass up on the chance to drink.

'Maybe I should just find a new secretary… Would make things so much easier…' The man sighed in his mind, almost considering the option until he remembered one significant detail.

His current secretary, though at most a drunkard, was really good with numbers. And everyone else here were leaning more towards the fighting, so…

Damn.

He sipped from his cold china cup, allowing the smooth tea to flow down his throat. Even with its low temperature, he found it rather enjoyable.

Setting the cup down on the table to his right, he entered a thinking state.

'That monster… I didn't put it there,' he said to himself.

Just this morning, while he was busy dealing with a few upset members of his guild, all of whom had lost in some pathetic gambling session with each other's lunch money as the reward, and basically stacks of documents concerning the «Blank's» victory on the two floors above floor seventy, Nier himself had came in with a few of his friends.

He couldn't forget any of them, how could he? Yuna, the person who was always shy with a weapon, but was now compatible enough to put those that opposed her down. Strea, who was the ever excitable girl who could never stay still in one spot for too long. Nautilus, ever the faithful person who was always there for his best friend's needs. Rosalia was his previous officer, who had been chased down by the «Laughing Coffin» before finally settling in amongst Nier's ranks. And PoH.

Well… There was nothing to say about him. Already, he's made himself a name as the worst killer in the game. Trying to clean his slate would be difficult.

But Yui…

'Damn it. Nier probably noticed,' he clicked his tongue, feeling ashamed for his previous gesture.

It was a strange twist, one that he had no hand with at all. Supposedly, she was the 'Mental Health Programme' to the system of the game, watching over players and ensuring that whatever happened in the game, she would allow it to be so.

And yet, as if fate had stuck its hands into the matter, she had somehow developed a functioning in-game body, and become an NPC. Or, better yet, an A.I.

It was a thought both intriguing and worrying for him.

Because, if she was an A.I… Does this mean she can die? He prayed such a thing would not occur, and that she would be treated as mere 'Immortal Object', no matter how cruel it sounded.

"All that matters is her being alive, and nothing else," his words were like paper in the wind, but held so much seriousness in it that would have heated up the room in seconds. His tension reducing to nil once again, he thought about something else.

The mob.

Nier had basically came into his office just this morning to ask him of the strongest mobs present in the game. It was a strange thing, to be honest. Was he seriously thinking on taking them all on his own?

Selfish reasons such as wanting to level up quickly, or maybe because he wanted the drops? Not possible. This was Nier he was talking about.

He's probably got something in mind. A plan that would undoubtedly prove the grandiosity that is his intellect. Something that, and he would hope for it to be so, would undoubtedly prove to be a boon for both himself and the people. His strength.

"Hhaa…" The man sighed, wondering why he was thinking too deep into this. Maybe he really did just want to level up, and wanted the drops to make some weapon or armour. Who knows? "Well, not my right to know, I suppose."

And the final topic that came to mind... That mysterious player.

Sure, Nier's never actually seen her before, but each time he's around the boy, he would always catch a brief glimpse of black hair. And if he was really lucky, most of which is only due to his sharp observational skills, he could make out a purple mask.

His eyes narrowed, wondering just what this player was really doing. For all he knew, the equipment on her looked extremely powerful, unlike anything that he had ever seen in his life. Could this be some NPC? Surely not. He remembered very clearly that he had never created such a creature such as she and implemented her into the game. It just... didn't make sense.

Although, the biggest question he had in his mind was what the hell she was really doing.

The answer was extremely simple; she was _stalking_ Nier.

He had noticed it a long time ago, her presence he means. But to know that she's been following him everywhere he went truly was something that would put almost anyone on their nerves. It didn't help that this player never showed up in raids, so there was no telling what she could be doing.

But then he noticed the patterns. Little tidbits that came more than one.

Once? Just a coincidence. Twice? Certainly not to be forgotten. More than that? A pattern.

She's been protecting him from the very beginning. From the littlest things as possible, to even the larger scales of trouble. An arrow, a spit attack from some random mob, and even those like _pebbles_! That sure is dedication at its finest.

Heck, he even noticed her entering the room like a _ghost_ , like a piece of data that had never been there, only a physical husk for just a moment, as she rushed in without so much as making a single sound, stopping a cup in its descent from the nearby cupboard, putting it back in its original position and fading out of existence once more.

Although he could relate her speed, or movement, to that of the... 'Hyperspace' things from the sci-fi movies.

Nonetheless, he was not supposed to be worrying about this sort of thing. It had nothing to do with him, though a part of him truly hoped that she wouldn't do anything dangerous to the boy.

And with that, he got up and made his way to his room, ready to turn in for the night.

Some sleep would help him extremely well. He'd need the rest for the upcoming stacks of documents he would need to tend to. And man, were they a pain sometimes.

* * *

Persona Vabel removed her mask, sighing as she looked off into the distance.

Catching brief moments of their conversations, she was able to ascertain her friend's motives; to make way for floor eight and become a «Beast Tamer», even showing interest in catching himself a dragon.

While she was not one to disagree with his plan, in fact she thought it was pretty cool, it could be potentially dangerous.

And so, she decided to wait by the sidelines, watching him from the shadows.

Although, before she does go with him, there _is_ that desserts shop in Algade...

* * *

The Next Day—Floor 8: Frieven Village

 ***Nier Automata: Pascal (Play Song)***

'Ahh, the old days,' he smiled at the familiar village before him, wondering just how long it had been since he stepped foot here.

The floor was similar to the third floor, in the sense that it had such a large forest. Here, however, it was magnified by a greater amount, with water covering the surface, hence making it impossible for anyone to traverse the surface—unless they had a boat, probably. And to get around the area, one would have to use the manmade bridges that connected the trees to each other, or they could use the branches from the humongous trees.

Seriously though, they were so big that they touched the underside of floor nine. Although, it is impossible to make a hole through the ninth floor to get up.

Some quote unquote 'genius' decided to prove that theory just to win a bet against his friends.

'Seriously though, if all of us could have done that, then fighting the bosses would have been unnecessary,' he sighed in his mind, deciding to keep a look out for their destination.

But still, props to the designers of the game for this. This place actually looked nice, what with the natural theme of the village that made players feel a sense of calm in them. The lack of any medieval-like things, instead replaced with just the simplicity of a nomad's environment, actually made things look all the more better.

"Nier! The church is there," he heard Silica call for him, prompting him to look her way.

"Yeah, coming," he hollered back before making his way towards his younger companion, seeing the church coming into view. A few mossy bricks here and there, with a touch of old flowers by the pave way. It was nice, to say it simply. "So, you were here, huh?"

"Yes, this is the place," she nodded in conformation.

"Well, it certainly looks like it's seen better," Liz had come in her normal blacksmith outfit, before pointing out something Nier had on his mind. "And anyone find it strange that there's a church on a bunch of trees? Kinda' strange there."

"Well, it _is_ a game, Liz," the boy smiled back, before heading towards the church. "Come on, girls. We've got business here."

Stepping foot past the grand oaken doors that made up the entrance, the strong scent of old books and wet bricks struck their nostrils. Though Nier had no trouble hiding his minute distaste for it behind his poker face, everyone else sans Silica had their faces scrunched up.

It was massive on the inside, this was a given. The looks from outside just gave off the feeling that it was smaller than it really was. There were rows of benches from back to front, with pews aligned in straight lines at the sides. At the front was the head priest, with a staff in his hand as he listened to the lamentations from some random player.

The group of four waited until the player finally went away before they approached the head priest, with kind features and wrinkles adorning his face.

"A pleasure to make do with you young children," he spoke with such a gentle voice, eyes widening slightly when his gaze dropped on the girl with pigtails. "Ahh, it's you. How fares the young dragon?"

"Pina's doing fine," Silica nodded.

*Kyuu!*

As if on cue, the little blue «Feathered Dragon» appeared out of nowhere, flying over to the «Blank's» head and sitting there on him, giving one second chirp before entering a light snooze, much to the others' amusements.

"That's good to hear. You've certainly gone a far way since we've last met," the elder nodded, turning his attention to the other three. "And how may I assist you?"

"I'm Nier, leader of the «Blank»," the boy introduced himself, continuing. "I'd like to become a «Beast Tamer» as Silica here has, and I've heard that this was the best place to start."

At first, everyone had been wondering as to whether he was merely joking or not, but then came the ever steady reminder that he never jokes. And such was the determination in him that prompted him to come here in the first place, intent on learning the path of they who walk alongside «Familiars».

That was certainly something he was looking forwards to.

Just thinking about it set his imagination on overdrive. To think… flying through the game on the back of a dragon. That was going to be so awesome.

Hey, he was still a kid, after all! Let him dream a bit, at the very least.

"I see…" There was a hum, an indication of him being in thought. "I can sense a strange aura in you. You certainly possess a powerful bond with the dragon."

"I don't even know what I did," he shrugged, looking surprised himself.

"Well, it would definitely put everyone at ease to know that a strong person has taken up the role as a tamer of a beast," the people in the church started leaving, with new faces coming in. He himself greeted them whenever he had the chance to, making sure to remain speaking with Nier. "However, the task is extremely arduous, and would require much effort and tries. Will you still—"

"Yeah, I will," the boy nodded. He's thought this whole thing through. The pros, the cons, the cool things he could achieve, and obviously beat this game so much faster. It would make things so much easier. "I've decided on this a long time ago, and I'm not going to back down now. I've got a few monsters on my mind, and I'm not going to let up the chance to be the first person to tame them."

Which, undoubtedly, sounded both cool and annoying. Cool because he'd be fighting like a boss, and annoying because no doubt his name would make it into the headlines. And that would cause players to swarm him like ants. And he's already experienced that once.

That would _suck_.

"If there's a test, I'm willing to take it. I did say, just a moment ago, that I want to do this thing," to get a message across, he pumped a balled fist into the air, the simple look of no emotion, yet the determination and steadfast hope glimmering in his eyes.

"Hmm. Well, I see no reason as to reject your decision. Very well. But first, I am required to test you of your worthiness for such a skill. Forgive me for such," he spoke with a sad smile, gaining a shake of the head from the boy.

"All the more better. Would put your heart at ease to know that you've passed down such a skill to someone who would actually use it in the right way, am I right?" And his own statement was a straight shot at the bullseye, earning himself a nod of agreement from the holy man. "Great. Now tell me what I've gotta' do, and I'll get it done."

"Very well," with a heavy sigh, he pulled out a thick grimoire from under the podium of which he stood nearby, brushing away the dust that piled over it. Flipping it open, he skimmed through the lines of text, before stopping at one particularly interesting point. "…Ahh, this looks plausible. You are to claim victory against «X'rphan the White Wyrm»."

'Oh shoot,' were the very first words that came into his mind, gulping.

To be honest, though it sounded like an unachievable feat, he aimed to actually tame the monster. And dang it, if things wouldn't work out, he was a hacker! He'd figure something out.

His three friends noticed the sudden drop in his previous determination, but it returned so quickly that they thought there had been nothing wrong at all in the first place.

It couldn't have been the fear of facing the boss. He's done much crazier stuff by now, so facing a boss couldn't have been what worried him. Must have been some other reason behind it.

"Fine, I can do it," he nodded. "Slay «X'rphan», and I'm qualified?"

"Indeed. Bring back a tooth from the dragon as your proof," he nodded. "However, if it is far too deadly, then I may pass unto you another challenge."

"Nope. I'm doing it," he had a smile, one that the others knew he only put on in the face of such a danger. Where others would have faltered, he just didn't care. "Off to floor fifty-five we go."

 ***Nier Automata: Pascal (End Song)***

* * *

Floor 55: West Mountain

Yup. Nier wouldn't lie when he'll say that he's extremely grateful that he had unlocked and upgraded his «Warmth» skill, which was certainly helping in his situation right now.

Nier pulled the cloak around his body even closer to him, trying to keep as much heat in his body. The girls behind him seemed to be having trouble, though it didn't need equations to understand the reason why.

Unlike him, who had gone the extra mile to keep all parts of his body covered up to protect him from the climate and any other dangers, the other girls still had other parts of their bodies revealed. Lisbeth was fine, somewhat, but both Silica and Asuna's armour had their shoulders bare, so that was bad for them.

Still, he was lucky that he had brought along warm potions, a concoction made of special peppers available in the game combined with these strange blue insects. These potions ensured that the drinker would be immune to the cold conditions for a temporary moment, which was why he had a stack of it in his inventory. Although the fact that it was made with insects initially scared them, his insistence that they would probably need it made them slightly tolerable with such an item.

Just in case they needed any. And they certainly did.

"You girls doing alright? Or do we need to stop for a break?" He called out through the biting wind, making sure that they were able to hear him by raising his voice.

"W-We're fine..!" Lisbeth responded, pulling the fur coat that she borrowed from her leader tighter around herself.

"Don't push yourself too much!" Was the last thing he said before he pushing on, bringing up an arm to shield his eyes from the cold flakes.

Maybe he should've brought a torch or something…

It was far too late to turn back now, however, so he continued on, wondering where the place to find «X'rphan» was. This mountain range was far too large to pinpoint it to just one location, but splitting up was a bad idea all on its own. He was not willing to put his friends in danger just to find some boss.

Pulling out his bow, just in case of any attacks, he kept his gaze levelled all around him, just to be sure.

*..r…*

"Hmm?" Perking up, he noticed now that he had reached some area of which the storm no longer blew at, with crystals protruding from the earth.

*..rhh…*

This was no longer just the wind that was blowing in his ears. In the distance, a faint growling sound could be heard if one focused his sense of hearing to its maximum capability.

There was definitely else here besides just him and his little party right now.

"Girls," he called out, swapping his bow for «Binary» and «Monado», deciding to give this dual-wielding thing a second try. "Ready yourselves."

*Fwoo..!* *Grrh..!*

The growl came stronger now, and the girls followed their leader's command, pulling out their dagger, mace and rapier.

*Crash!*

'Well, I said I wanted to tame «X'rphan»…' The boy chuckled in his mind as he stared down the mighty wyvern of frost that stood before him, baring teeth and eyes the colour of blood, growling with a murderous intent.

Just like he had thought. Powerful, dangerous, and incredibly a challenge.

It made sense then, why no man had ever dared to brave these lands before this. Why, despite the multitude of rare metals located on this land, all of which could be used to make some of the best armour and weapons ever, no one actually went out of their way to come here.

Nier actually thought it was utterly foolish at first. There was the chance to actually take it all, so why hold themselves back? Well…

*Grhaaaa!*

"Standing before you right now answered all my questions," he chuckled, readying himself. His party followed suit, ready to claim the win for themselves. 'Nothing is ever easy.'

An understatement, yes. But that was not what was important. The only important thing here is winning.


	20. Chapter 18

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

" _The game is done._ " - Flashback / Emphasis

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!*- Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 18: Ride the Sky'`

 _He had the choice to run. Anyone did._

 _On the very first day, many screamed. They cried. Faltered, dropped to the ground. They lost the will to continue, knowing that failure would undoubtedly end them in this game of life and death. If he lost, he would continued to exist no more._

 _That was just how Kayaba Akihiko had programmed the game to be. To break the players before they could even play the game._

 _But Nur promised himself that he would enjoy the game, no matter what._

 _This wasn't going to stop him._

* * *

Real World

"Checkmate," Shiro said, with her twin sister looking at the chess board with slight interest, before giving in with a sigh.

"You're right… Unfortunately, this is my lost, it seems," Shuvi shook her head, sighing slightly. "However, it seems that our win count is equal to one another, is it not?"

"Hai. Shiro and Nii are two-hundred fifty," the younger girl nodded.

It was funny, because they had challenged each other to a bet that, if they would win two rows of the game at least once, then they were declared victor. However, it was both awe-inspiring and sad to say that neither had been able to achieve it, so… yeah.

They've been stuck in this cycle, of which one would win before the other would.

It's kinda' crazy, to be honest. How does that even work?

*Creak…*

The door to the house swung open, with the face of their father peeping in. There seemed to be something round and covered in black fur sitting on his head, which explained why he looked to be straining his neck just to maintain his balance.

"Hey, girls… Is your mother home?" He asked, keeping the door open with his leg before stepping in. "I'm home…"

"Yes she is," the Prüfer nodded, before pointing at the object on his head. "Father, what is that?"

"This? Oh, it's nothing. Just some poor little cat I found sitting in the alleyway outside of my work office," he said, putting the cat down. "Looked like he was hungry, so I thought of giving him a little something once I get back."

*Arf!*

Just before the door closed, a cute little dog with wide red eyes and bright white fur leaped into the house, attracting both girls' attentions faster than possible.

"Cute," was all the girls chorused before they rushed the white canine, pulling it into a hug.

*Woof!*

It didn't try to fight back, nor did it even show any signs of discomfort. In fact, it seemed to be enjoying the attention.

"Well, if I knew you girls liked dogs, I would have gotten you girls one earlier," he chuckled, leaning against a wall. "Well, since I didn't, aren't you lucky to have one now? And a real adorable one, at that."

"Yes," the both of them answered at the same time.

"Dear, you're home already? What are you… Hmm?" Mother to the two little girls plus one stopped in her line of speech once she saw both the animals in the house, one of them looking beyond tired and the other having fun with the girls. "When'd you find time to buy those two?"

"Hey, don't say that! Yes, they do allow adoption with payment, but don't call it like that!" The man had a seemingly hurt look, with his wife waving off his concerns like dust in the air.

"Sure, sure. In any case, when did you find them? You didn't answer my question the first time, mister," Layla had an unamused look on her face.

"Nngh… I found the cat outside of my work office with the dog. They were pretty tired, I'll say that much," Adam gestured to the feline on the couch, breathing slowly and trying to keep its energy.

"Well, I've at least experience in taking care of cats back in the day. I'll see what I can find or make," she said, going back to the kitchen.

"And get something for… Huh, okay," the man sat down on the couch besides the black and white feline. "Obviously, we're going to need names for these two. Can't just keep calling them by their species name. Would be like me calling you girls _girls_ just because that's what you are."

"I am a Prüfer, father," Shuvi corrected him, earning a chuckle from the man.

"That you are, dearie," he nodded, seeing his wife enter the living room once more. "Oh great, you've got—What."

"Yes, dear?" Layla asked back, curious as to what got that look from her husband.

"What, exactly, is _that_?" He pointed a finger at the plate she was holding.

"Sushi. What else?" She shrugged, looking so nonchalant at the fact that she was holding a plate of sushi and was going to feed the cat that, all the while ignoring the look of bewilderment on her husband's face.

"W-What the heck? You're going to feed a cat _sushi_?! That's got to be, like, the most craziest thing I've ever heard in my life!" He facepalmed.

"Come now. It has everything a cat would like," she blew a raspberry, the canine looking at her curiously. "It has fish, rice—"

"Layla, that sushi you have there has seaweed and carrots. Cats don't eat that stuff!" There was a cross between a laughter and a huff coming forth from his lips. A maddening thought, to feed a cat _vegetables_ , which it obviously _hates_.

She set the plate on the table.

"Adam, we don't have anything else to serve. I can just separate those two and feed him that!" She shot back, almost challenging him.

"Look, I'm not trying to argue with you, but cats are fond of fish. And that sushi has so little of that!" He pointed at the plate.

"There is a lot of fish there!"  
"I don't care! Cats don't like sushi!"  
"You don't know that!"  
"Yes I do!"

"He ate it," Shiro and Shuvi interjected in the midst of their arguments.

In response, the couple turned to the table, seeing the cat already awake and actually eating everything there. Heck, it's actually chewing the seaweed before ingesting the darn thing. And it looked like it actually enjoyed it!

*Mreow..!*

A sign of gratitude, both girls could think of it that way, before it continued eating more of the sushi, ignoring the look of bewilderment and the look of victory—Adam and Layla respectively.

*Arf!*

"Mama, give him something too," she said, pointing to the dog, which didn't seem to look too hungry. Though, it wouldn't mind something too, at this point.

"Well, lucky for you, my dear! I've got some steak in the back, so come along now," she made a gesture for him to follow her.

*Arf!*

The white-furred creature followed the woman to the kitchen.

Adam, seeing everything progress around him, just fell backwards into the couch, massaging his temples as he tried to absorb everything that just happened. Still, nothing seemed to work, so he was left with this headache for the remaining of the day, absolutely miffed.

That look his wife had when the cat ate that sushi… God, did it _suck_.

* * *

That Night

After everyone had eaten dinner, with their two new guests absolutely loving what was on their plate—the cat was so fond of the sushi it ate earlier that he absolutely destroyed the oncoming sashimi, and his friend was taking his time to enjoy the steak—they returned to their bedrooms.

Though Shiro and Shuvi had offered them some space in their shared bedroom, the two animals decided not to, and decided to use the living room.

The night was cold, undoubtedly so. But the fact that they were huddled up together meant that they would be sharing body heat, so that would at east combat the cold a bit, even if not much.

Making himself comfortable on the couch, with his friend beside him, he spoke.

 **"Man… Quite a day. And to think that, supposedly we were the ones to find Nur's family, when it turns out to be the other way around,"** the cat mused.

*Woof…*

"Yeah, I feel ya'. Fate has a strange way of functioning sometimes. You never know what it's going to do to your life," he sighed, resting his head against the comfortable seat. When did he ever get the time to sleep this peacefully? "Hey Korormaru… Do you think what happened to Adam was wrong? And not Nur's dad, but the A.I. one."

There was a slight tension in the air, but easily blown away by the cold wind that broke into the room, past the slightly open windows.

"Brr… Maybe we should have just slept with Shiro and Shuvi," he said.

*Arf…*

The cat raised his head, looking at his friend, who had a sad look on his canine features. He laid his head back down, sighing.

"Yeah… I know. But maybe it was necessary?" His tail flapped a bit, before falling back down. "I guess it was already his time to go. Or there was some powerful evil that destroyed everything? Aargh… Everything's just so confusing…"

But what really happened to him? Those two beings said that he 'disappeared', but gave no true explanation to that. There had to have been something that happened to him.

He was an A.I., and they said that he had succeeded in defeating them, thus freeing the people. However, there had been nothing else said about them.

This time, it was Nur's turn to take up the mantle, fighting for the people. He was going to succeed, that was a given, no matter how one looked at it.

He was the best. His sisters were going to support him no matter what, at every turn whenever something looked bad. His friends were there to back him up in desperate times, no matter what. Such was the faith and love they had in him, so they weren't going to let him fall.

"…Hey Koromaru? What were their names again?" He asked, sporting a curious look.

*Arf.*

"…Hmph. The names of which that cannot be said. Utterly clever," he snorted, deciding to let the decision there. "But seriously, can't they say my name right? It's 'Morgana', for crying out loud! They don't need to shorten it to 'Mona'! Jeez!"

*Arf!*

"S-Shut up! It's not because my real name's cute or anything!" Denied the cat, though even he couldn't hold back the embarrassed flush. "J-Just..! Go to sleep or something!"

And thus ended the day for both Morgana and Koromaru.

The Next Day

The two girls had woken up very early in the morning, deciding to check up on the new members of the family.

Apparently, before both the animals had gone off to the living room, the father and mother had said that they wouldn't mind having them live with them from that day on, which was something both girls liked very much.

They were just so cute! Letting them go would be the worst decision ever.

When they reached the living room, they weren't surprised to see both of them sleeping just besides each other.

Strange. As far as they knew, dogs and cats were like enemies. One could not tolerate the other, which made sense as to why they would fight each other so much. And yet, the sight before them had basically tossed such a logic out the window, as if it was nothing more than false rumours.

They were the best of friends, judging by how close they looked.

Shiro wanted to go over and pet the both of them, but her sister caught sight of a piece of paper on the table. Curious, she walked over to the Prüfer, taking a look at the paper.

It said 'Koromaru' and 'Morgana', with the drawings of a white Shiba Inu and a black-white cat underneath their corresponding names.

And it was only a few minutes before the daily «SAO» Broadcast kicked in, the TV showing a scene of a boy with three other girls, facing a large white dragon.

Floor 55: West Mountain

*Persona 5—Blooming Villain (Play Song)*

In the game world, everything else was different. In contrast to the otherwise calm situation that was the people in the real world's everyday lives, though with the constant worries of what the safety of the people in the game.

Here, however, to battle was the life of a player.

*GrroHHAA!*

"Everyone, don't let up! This is going to be a pretty deadly battle, so keep focus at all times!" He shouted. "Lisbeth, Silica, Asuna, use a 'Solidarity' tactic!"

"Right!" The girls shouted back.

«X'rphan the White Wyrm», a proud dragon with such large wings, a power unimaginable, and the royal crown of all the dragons in the game. No doubt, it would be difficult to actually slay this thing without the backings of many others.

Nier scoffed.

Both he and his guild had managed to take down the bosses on floor seventy-one and seventy-two on their own. Though he'd rather not repeat the fact in his head over and over again, he wouldn't deny the fact that things were easy.

Right now, there was only one boss in front of him. What's there to be scared of?

"Everyone, avoid it's breath attacks at all costs! It will hinder your movements if you get hit, so make sure to take cover whenever it's preparing to attack!" He spoke, no hesitance whatsoever as he made his way towards the dragon.

*Grhaa!*

Facing the boy head-on, the towering dragon charged up a frost breath in the pits of its throat, parting its jaws before breathing it all out in one straight shot.

*Fwoo!*

"Not gonna' happen," he snickered, feeling energy weave into the «Monado». Activating it, he blocked the attack. "«Monado: Shield»!"

*Boom!*

Though it had came close to him losing there and then, the «Monado Art» activated faster than a second, allowing him to survive the attack with half of his HP bar left.

'«Cure»,' He activated the hacked skill in his mind, giving himself a powerful regeneration that healed him in quicker than possible.

Luckily enough, no one would be able to see him actually doing it, since he was hidden by the large amounts of snow and mist that collected around him. And if anyone did see him, he'll just chalk it up to his upgraded 'Battle Heal' skill.

Feeling refreshed now that he had been healed back to normal, he rushed the monster, swinging both swords at it without a need to hold back.

"Go for broke," he said to no one in particular, dodging the swipe of the claws to give in his own attack. With one powerful swing, the red sword in his right hand crashed into the dragon's skull harder than it should, sending it into a daze. "Asuna, back me up!"

"Coming!" And she was there by his side in a flash. "Let's go!"

"Right back at ya'!" He grinned back.

The two dealt blows at the boss, striking at every part of its body with their individual weapons. The sounds of metal clashing against hard scales, cutting into the flesh of the beast could be heard from a distance away, even with the howling of the wind.

"Get back!" He jumped away, with Asuna barely keeping up before «X'rphan» suddenly spiralled into the air, flying away.

"It's running!" She said.

"No it's not," and a grin made its way to his face, fully anticipating something. "Dragons are far too prideful to run away from a fight."

As if reacting to his words, the dragon dove back in towards him, screaming bloody murder—were it human, of course—as it charged directly at the two.

*Bzz!*

"«Monado: Buster»!" He raised the red blade upwards in the sky with just one hand, before bringing it down in one fell swoop.

*Ching!*

*gGrRRhhaa!*

The attack managed to get a slice at its wing, tearing a bit of the soft flesh and thus allowing air to pass it, downing it in just one moment.

Not wasting the chance, the two jumped back into the fight, but it recovered quicker now, opting to strike at the two humans with just its tail and claws. If it can't fly, it'll use every other parts of itself to win.

*Css!*

"Thanks!" He spared a glance towards Silica, with Pina having just healed him with a spell. He returned to the battle, striking at its incoming claw with «Binary», successfully parrying it. "Switch!"

"Hrraah!" She dashed past him just as quickly, pelting the monster's vulnerability with a «Quadruple Pain», dealing four fast and precise blows at the beast's torso. "Nier!"

"Got it!" On cue, he took over, powering up «Monado» and «Binary» before unleashing a single cross slash with both weapons, raising them over him before bringing them down in a powerful blow. A bright 'X' mark was left over its wing, sounds of hissing due to his red sword eviscerating the flesh could be heard.

*Grhaa!*

Enraged, the boss pawed the ground before leaping into the air and towards the other two girls.

"Lisbeth! Silica!" Asuna had gone wide-eyed, running towards her friends.

"Hrgh..! Don't even think about it!" The blacksmith allowed the game to strengthen her weapon's next attack, prompting her to swing the blunt weapon and striking it against «X'rphan's» massive claws.

*Ching!*

She grunted slightly, shouting as she applied more strength into her weapon, successfully parrying the beast's attack.

"Pina!" Silica looked to her dragon. "Help Liz!"

*Chirp!*

The little «Feathered Dragon» was adept at healing spells, but when push comes to shove, its skills wasn't just limited to healing.

Taking an offensive 'stance', it cocked back its head before parting its jaws, sending a storm of bubbles towards the larger dragon. And though it should have had no effects, it actually did a constant damage on the thing, lowering its third health bar down to its last two.

"Girls! Scatter!" Nier shouted, seeing «X'rphan's» wing begin to heal.

The team split apart, watching as the terrifying boss charged at Asuna. She deftly sidestepped its attack, her cloak dancing in its fade. She left a long slit on its body with her rapier, jumping back when it turned to strike at her with its claw.

Nier rushed in, bringing «Binary» to his side before thrusting it forwards, stabbing the flesh of the creature's side painfully. He jumped onto its back, digging both swords down into it.

*Skhaa!*

Emitting such an ear-breaking screech, the monster suddenly took a charging run forwards, before breaking the air resistance and flying upwards, spreading its wings wide.

"Whoa hoa!" He held fast onto both swords, keeping it in the monster's back as he forced himself to remain there, not falling.

"Nier!" The three girls watched with fear and trepidation as he was caught up there in the air. If he falls down now, it will not be pretty.

*Kyuu!*

Determined to help, Pina unleashed a storm of bubbles towards the dragon, but each soapy orb failed to strike it. It was way too high up now.

"D-Dang it..! Just go down!" He managed to retrieve his swords, putting away the buster blade-like weapon and going one-handed with «Binary», running forwards as the air pushed against his body and leapt at its head, slashing hard into the back of it. "Hyha!"

*Shing!* *Ghoaahh!*

The sudden attack suddenly disabled its ability to move, causing it to fall back to the ground with a loud—

*Crash!*

Though he would have given a short fanfare at his success at downing «X'rphan», the crash created a heavy magnitude that caused the snow around the area to fall altogether, creating a massive avalanche that was beginning to pull in more and more, until a full wave of just snow was coming down on them, howling like death.

While «X'rphan» was still trying to recover from its previous attack, Nier was busy worrying about the fact that, if the snow caught up to them, dragging them down to who knows where, there was no way they'd be able to get back to the dragon that easily.

"Crud!" He berated himself for actually not putting that into consideration. They were atop a mountain with snow, for crying out loud! 'We'll need some form of fire to melt all the snow before it gets to us..! Or something to push it aw—'

Almost as if the all-divine bulb of idea had glowed over his head, thus feeding him a sense of strategy, he got off the dragon and rushed over to the girls, swapping his «Binary» for «Monado» now.

This was going to be… Well, let him say it.

"Everyone! This is going to be extremely risky and dangerous, so hold on tight to each other! Asuna, grab my waist!" He said, not giving her the time to even form some a counter. "Just do it! Please!"

Knowing that he wasn't going to let it any other way, Lisbeth and Silica held onto Asuna, with the latter holding onto their leader's waist. Even then, with their arms tightly around one another, they made sure to keep a bit of their grip on him, just in case.

Seeing them all ready, he nodded.

"«Monado»!" And when he said it was dangerous, he wasn't kidding. "«Cyclone»!"

*Bzz..!*

The blade hummed a sweet tone, turning a vibrant green before he thrusted it into the air, creating a swirling vortex with the little party of four in the eye of the storm, barricading them from the oncoming wave of snow. Through the materialised blades of wind around them, he could catch a brief glimpse of «X'rphan», which was slowly being carried away—

*Boom!* *Crush!*

"What the…" He turned around, keeping his blade in the air. And what he saw couldn't be any more crazier.

«Sword Art Online» had something wrong in its core, no doubt. The fact that strange things kept happening everywhere around him solidified that fact; from fighting a large-as-heck titan, getting these two swords, befriending two fairies, getting the most dangerous player in this game to join his guild, and many other things.

If anything, there was some stranger power behind this. And he would have pinned it on «Cardinal» for going all wonky, if he wasn't already trying to make sense of what just happened.

The earth below just close by gave way, causing a large fissure to appear literally right there, with the snow falling down into the endless darkness. And «X'rphan» was pulled along with it, screaming as it tried to get up.

Wait, if he falls down there… No!

"Oh, shoot!" Deactivating the previous «Monado Art» he had on—knowing for sure that the avalanche around them had finally ended—he broke away from the girls as he made a break towards the falling dragon, putting away his weapon for now. "Girls, stay away from the fissure! Just stay there!"

"W-Wait, Nier!"  
"Nier!"  
"Damn it, what the hell?!"

Tuning out all their screams of worry—and in Liz's case, frustration, though of course it held concern amongst there—he continued after «X'rphan», not about to let his future «Familiar» to slip out of his grasp.

Or, if it really is impossible, which he highly doubts with all fibre of his being, then he'll just need a tooth, thank you very much.

*Grha!*

"Oh no, you don't!" In an act of desperation, he jumped after the falling mob, catching it's 'antler', falling down into the darkness along with it.

And the light faded.

 ***Persona 5—Blooming Villain (End Song)***

* * *

"Whoa, what?" Adam stood up immediately, a look of disbelief on his face, noticing the live telecast wasn't following his son anymore. "Why did it pause? Shouzou, what's—"

"I don't know. I set it to follow him no matter what, I swear," Asuna's father raised his arms in defense. Both he and his wife, as well as the Kirigaya's came to watch the broadcast with the Fate's.

"Well, I don't see my son right now. Although, it is showing your daughter and her friends, and the video's still working, so I guess nothing's wrong with it," he scratched his head. "Actually… Did the game have the function to actually break like that?"

"Don't tell me… There's a glitch?" Layla paled slightly.

"No, no no no. This game is controlled by Kayaba, remember? There's no way he would ever miss such a mistake in the system like that. He's a perfectionist," her husband reassured her, though even he felt worried.

"Nii will be fine," Shiro's soft voice had every one else looking at her, that steeled certainty in her eyes speaking volumes. "Nii is the best."

"Agreed. He won't go down easily," Shuri nodded as well.

Morgana and Koromaru shared the same thoughts. They had been sent here to assist a 'Protagonist' by those two. No way would he actually lose.

For now, they just need to have faith in him.

* * *

'…Nngh…' The previous pain he had experienced biting every part of his body slowly dissipated, replaced now with a sense of fear. 'Where..?'

He sat up almost instantly, wondering where he was.

Only to realise that he was now in some vast landscape. It was fully white, with polygons that were shifting in colour floating all around him in the 'air'.

He called it as such because he was till able to breathe. The lack of air would have caused the air in his own lungs to expand, thus rupturing his lungs and killing him quickly.

Still, this was a game, so maybe the lack of air was forgiven..?

'No, absolutely not. Knowing Kayaba, and the developers of the 'Nerve Gear' aiming to stimulate the five senses, there's no way they're going to actually let that slide,' he shook his head at the thought, staring up. There was a large hole in the white, with some blurry colours seen.

He fell from down there, with…

'«X'rphan»,' he finished that thought, trying to search for the wyvern that caused all this problem.

Scanning the area around him, he finally spotted it a few clicks away from him, trying to scamper away. For some odd reason unexplained, it wasn't trying to use its wings to fly. Maybe this area was hindering him from doing so?

Not intent on being left behind, he chased after the great dragon, not even trying to attack it anymore.

Once he reaches its side, he could sense unnatural amounts of tension in the creature, masked by its royal fierce look. He wasn't sure whether to call that amazing, or just strange; was it even possible for a monster to actually feel fear? He supposed so.

Everything in this darn game has life. And, even if it was merely data, they were still living.

Heck, he's already given up on trying to not befriend the NPC's in 'Coral'. They were really nice!

The dragon made a move to strike at him, hostile as it was before, but it suddenly lowered its claws, staring around it to make sense of whatever sh*t's just happened.

The boy opened his mouth to say something, only to realise that nothing was coming out. Ahh, now that's strange. Air, but the incapability to actually vocalise? How terrifying.

As if sensing his actions, the dragon tilted its head slightly to the side to stare into his black orbs with its own red slits. There was a mute hum that passed its lips, though the teeth that were bared showed nothing more than hostility.

He nodded back.

'If you don't want me to kill you, then you'd do well not to do the same,' he mentally spoke. And, as if they shared a mental connection, the dragon made a nodding gesture before continuing forwards.

This went on for at least an hour or two, or… Actually, at this point, time may have been irrelevant. Where were they? To be in some strange place without explanation? From his point of view, this must have been some form of glitch. But that was far too big to actually ignore now, wasn't it?

Nier operated his inventory, seeing his items still inside there. At least they weren't gone.

They walked and walked and walked.

The world around them was still, far too quiet that no man would actually come to love it. It was large, yes, but there was no life in it, resembling a dead space. No man would ever wish to step foot into it.

The world around them was still the same, but the crack in the upper ceiling that they had seen just previously had shifted a bit to the back, meaning that they had made progress. However, it was only a matter of time before it would seal up, entrapping them there forever.

Then they came to a stop.

'This isn't going to get us anywhere,' he could feel a twitch in his right brow, prompting him to turn to the dragon.

«X'rphan» wanted to snarl, utterly chagrined with the progress they had made and the fact that it had to deal with the presence of this human boy, who almost got the better of it. But could it even be called progress, when they have yet to achieve anything?

And the inability to make a sound made it all the more vexing.

The boy spread his arms apart, flapping them. Understanding what he meant, «X'rphan» gave a shake of the head. It tried to pull them out, but some invisible force was keeping the wings attached to its back.

'Strange… And just great..! We're going to be stuck down here at this point!' He felt like tearing his hair out of his head, until something rather peculiar happened.

*Thunk…*

The both of them jumped slightly when the sound of something dropping against hollow wood could be heard from the distance. When the two beings turned to the source of the sound, they could see a door having stood out of nowhere.

Eyeing it warily, they soon found themselves just a foot away from stepping into it.

'So… In we go, huh?' He almost wanted to laugh, wondering just how much this game really has to offer to him.

Then again, maybe Kayaba never implemented this into the game? And something far stranger was doing this? If so, then he was going to brace himself for the world of vampires, reality-breaking experiences, and obvious absurdity.

Sighing, he pushed it open.

* * *

In Another World, Untouched by Space and Time

The dragon and boy found themselves in some strange black world, surrounded by the literal void. There were no other colour besides the hues of gray and black, accompanied with a sense of Déjà vu hitting him squarely in the face.

This was way too strange… He never came here. So why does he recognise it, then?

"Hmm? Ahh, our guests," the boy turned his head to the voice of a strangely familiar man, who was sitting on a rock throne, possessing a soft smile as he stared at the boy, before his gaze moved to the dragon. "And your friend there seemed to have followed you."

"Yeah? I wouldn't call him friend just yet," the boy crossed his arms, releasing a sigh of relief that he was able to talk once more. "We just tried to kill each other just minutes ago."

"Oh yes, I can tell," he laughed at the fact. "Well then, I suppose there is much to talk about. «X'rphan», I request that you sit—"

*Ghraaa!*

Not intending to oblige with the man's words, the creature let out a roar, ready to tear him asunder with its claws—

*Fwoo…*

 **"Temper temper,"** it was not even forced to be loud, yet the voice came out like a powerful boom, washing over the entire dimension with just those two words and freezing the ironically 'Dragon of Frost' in its movements, forcing it to stare up into two larger slits, black as the body of the beast of which the eyes belonged to.

Most dragons that were met with such stubborn forces would scoff, returning such aggression with their own. They were not going to play nice, that much was certain, and wouldn't mind getting a bit dirty with staining their claws with blood.

But this dragon managed to silence what was supposed to be another powerful dragon with just his voice alone, long before they had caught glimpse of his indefinite size.

Then again, it was fair, considering that the black dragon was the size of what could have easily been the Shanghai Bridge. Or even more.

But that smile meant that he wasn't even furious to begin with, which made him all the more impressive.

 **"Now, though our little home here,"** the dragon gestured to the pitch-black space around them, still keeping his toothy grin in place. **"Is quite empty and the like, no one would enjoy living in such a dirty home. I assume that the same is for you, no?"**

"Well, you can excuse «X'rphan» there, my good friend. He seems to favour the cold caves up on the 'West Mountain', though cold and dusty as it was," the human shrugged in return.

 **"I suppose that's understandable… Nonetheless, I ask that you follow the example of your friend there,"** and he brought up his massive talon, lightly tapping his claw on the dragon's crown. **"He has manners."**

"Mother and father brought me up to respect the master of the house, and to not overstep my bounds," the boy quickly interjected, keeping his gaze downwards.

"See? He's polite, and well brought up. Follow his example, will you not?" The other human in the room smiled at the ice dragon.

Needless to say, «X'rphan the White Wyrm's» terror and frustration had been extinguished in just the click of the fingers, now replaced with slight fear, not at all daring to defy the power of these two stranger beings.

These two, that seem to be the masters of this strange room.

It had never thought itself possible to be capable of feeling afraid before, but it seems that such a time is now. And now, it was definitely going to abide by the words of the two beings.

No doubt, their power would be far too much to truly comprehend. And going up against it was just suicide.

"In any case, I'd like to apologise first and foremost, Nier," the man began, gaining the two guests' attention. "It seems that, for some incomprehensible reason, the system of the game seems to have actually faced a minor malfunction, thus the reason why you are here."

"Or is it more accurate to say that you caused it?" The boy furrowed his eyebrows in suspicion, gaining two large smiles from the two masters of this strange room.

"Clever boy. And here I thought I would've managed to play it past you," the man chuckled, both impressed and embarrassed at his slip-up. "But yes, as a matter of fact, I indeed created the glitch to… create a situation for myself and my friend here to pass upon you a little gift. Consider it as a token of our gratitude."

"Token of gratitude? I've never even met you…" The boy scratched his head, not fully understanding what the man meant.

 **"You need not force yourself to understand, young'un. Just know that we will forever be watching over you, even if you know not of it,"** the massive wyvern added, closing his eyes and muttering something under his breath, causing a box no more bigger than an engagement ring box to manifest before the boy.

Confused, he took it.

It sorta' reminded him of the time he got that special ring from Klein. Damn that stupid bet of his.

Talking about the ring, he had still kept it on his person, when he would have been able to just toss it away all this time. Still, just for safe keeping. And memories, he supposed.

In any case, pushing aside the trip down memory lane, he opened the box, revealing only light. He took what seemed to be the core of this, before the box and the 'core' shattered into a myriad of colourful polygons, its energy having been spent.

"Okay… Anyone mind telling me what just happened?" He tilted his head, confused.

"What happened, milord, is that an item has been spawned into your inventory," he replied, now looking at «X'rphan». "In any case, you will be staying here with us, while milord travels back to the church to pass down the object to the head priest."

"Eh? Why? Is it going to give me like, a side-quest or something?" He scratched his head, not fully understanding.

 **"Of course not, milord. I think you've gone on this wild goose chase for quite a bit too long. I'd rather cut your effort by half and let you enjoy the benefits much more easily,"** the dragon shook his head, smiling.

Seriously though, to think that the young gamer had indeed been so persistent in all of this... It deserves some respect, that's for sure.

"With that said, you should probably get back before the others start to worry about you. Then again, I can tell that they already are," the man raised his hand in the air, giving a snap of his fingers and causing a door to build itself in the centre of the space, with a golden outlining. As if it were some divine portal to another world, Nier mused. "Take this door, and it should lead you back to the opening. You'll have to make a slight climb, however."

"Yeah… To avoid suspicion, I get it," the young «Blank» nodded, walking towards the door. "And please don't do anything strange to «X'rphan»."

 **"Don't you worry a thing. He's in good hands,"** he chuckled, raising his claws. **"And claws."**

*Rrr…*

It was a friendly joke, that was for sure, given by how everyone else were just smiling. And yet, it couldn't help but feel its pride as a dragon actually crack at the fact that it's currently in containment.

Giving a nod to the beings, the gamer stepped past the door.

* * *

Floor 55: West Mountain

*Crack…* *Tk…*

"Huh," was all the boy said as he realised that he was back in the game world, hanging from the side of the fissure created due to their previous battle. And damn, was it deep. 'Well, at least I'm hanging on with help from «Binary».'

Which was absolutely true, judging by how he had his blade buried into the side of the earth, hanging from the same blade as he kept a steadfast grip on its handle.

Even so, he was still far away from the edge up top, unable to see the full view up there.

Sighing, he pulled out another broadsword—one that he only kept on him in case some poor guy didn't have a weapon on him—before stabbing it into the earth, using both swords as his climbing picks now.

Hence, why he was able to manoeuvre upwards, steadily approaching his friends, whom were all in distraught at the scene caused earlier.

Speaking of them…

"Oh God…" Silica barely understood what she had just seen, holding her head in her hands and trying not to think. "T-T-That couldn't have been…"

"H-Hey..! It's alright! I-It's Nier, we're talking here..!" Even when Lisbeth tried to play it off, she didn't sound all that convincing, given by how shaky her tone was. "A-As if something like is going to… to…"

"No. Liz, please don't say it…" Asuna begged there and then, not daring to hear the next word.

"Well, what else is there to say?!" She shot back, just as afraid as her two friends were.

While they were busy trying to deal with the shocking aftermath of such a vigorous duel, and failing horribly at it, Nier was busy trying to get back up, only to have almost fallen off due to some debris that kept falling on his face.

After the fifteenth drop of a pebble on his head, he lost it.

"Okay, enough of this riffraff. Time to just boost up there," he said to himself, dropping the broadsword into the infinite abyss downwards, admittedly afraid when he didn't hear any clinking sound.

Instead, he pulled out «Monado», activating a «Monado Art» and ready to rocket out of there.

And such a plan, though indescribably crazy and awesome—Klein would no doubt think it is the latter part—it had actually worked.

What did he do?

"«Monado»!" All the girls turned to the edge of the cliff, to the part where the earth had given way, able to hear a familiar voice. "«Cyclone»!"

*Bzz…* *Fwoo!*

*Skreaa!*

Pina almost jumped out of her own feathers when she saw Nier flying out of there, propelled by the violent gushing wind that drew itself below his feet, jetting him up into the air before he landed perfectly on both feet, looking as incredible as ever.

Even though he wasn't even trying to look cool in the first place.

"Nier!" All three girls felt a rush of joy, their feet carrying them over to him before they pulled him into a four-way hug.

"Oww, ow! Ow! Girls, I'm fine!" He pried their grips over him away, managing to catch his breath before sighing at their relieved figures. "Jeez… You'd actually think that was going to kill me, didn't you?"

"W-Well… A small part of us, I guess…" Silica's words dropped slowly in volume, until it became nothing more than a mumbling mess.

"Look, I'm okay now, alright? We're good," he crossed his arms, resisting the urge to message his temples. Girls can be so confusing at times.

"Hey! We were worried when you suddenly fell in there, you know! Anything could have happened in there, and we wouldn't know!" Lisbeth retorted, almost sounding sad. Although, if she was feeling that way, she was doing a pretty good job of hiding it behind her anger. "We thought we lost you, and stuff happened, and «X'rphan's» gone now, and—"

"Girl, chill. Everything's good now. No need to get so riled up over… anything, really," there was a cross between a huff and a chuckle from their leader, who was finding this to be amusing and funny at the same time, patting the older player with a gentle smile.

That look on his face… calm, loving even. Like there had been nothing to have worried about.

"O-Okay…" Her voice barely came out at all, face an instant red at his gesture.

"Good. Well then, girls, we should get going now. We've got to get back to the head priest," he said.

"You killed «X'rphan»?" Silica tilted her head, wondering if so.

"Nope. Not at all," snickered the boy, which popped up invisible question marks above their heads. "Let's go. We've wasted enough time here as it is already."

* * *

Floor 55: Granzam

The trek back down from the mountain was, as it would be in real life, was pretty tiring. It took way too much time, fighting against the cold and the random monsters once more.

In his opinion, it wasn't all that bad. The only reason he thought so was because the girls looked worse for wear.

"Uurgh…" Lisbeth was groaning, trying to get the snow stuck in her hair out. White traced along the pink, she would make sure to get a bath to get rid of all the snow. "Darn… I'd rather not go back up there ever again. Way too cold for my liking."

"Hey, you girls handled it pretty well back there, you know? So give yourself props for that," their leader smiled in their way, watching as all their faces turned the colour of the blacksmith's hair, making him wonder.

Did he say or do something wrong?

"Oi, Nier!" The boy perked up, turning around to see PoH and Philia running towards him. "We've got bad news! And by bad, I mean _really_ bad ones!"

"What's up?" There was a frown that crossed the younger male's expressions.

However, even before the previously red player could say anything—

*Crush!*

"Whoa!" Long before even his voice left his lips, the previously-calm crowd had erupted into a massive screaming fit.

Why so? Well…

*Shing!* *Wroha..!* *Chh!*

"Where in the world did all these «Trembling Ox» come from?!" Nier managed to shout as he cleaved one of the oxen with his «Binary». "I thought they just spawn on floor two!"

"That's the thing! Some idiot thought it was a good idea to forcefully capture them and bring them all the way here! Thought it would have 'kept the meat fresh'!" Philia sneered, cutting apart one of the beasts with her dagger.

"Not a very good idea on his part!" He agreed, pivoting over an ox and allowing Asuna to deal the killing blow. "PoH, Lisbeth, 'Twin Shields'! Silica, Philia, handle the oxen leaving the area! Asuna, you and I will take care of the ones here!"

"Right!" She nodded.

And with much time spent on fighting the rampaging mobs, they finally cleared the whole town of the darn things. Thankfully, no one was injured in the process, since this was a safe area, thus rendering damage to null.

Still, it did mean that it could cause damage to objects, so it was sad to say that a few stalls had faced destruction. Merchants would need to fix that, yeah.

Nier was then seen sitting at a bench that had been safe from the attack, just trying to get his head to wrap the events that had just played out earlier.

After the whole ordeal, he had gone off to see the person behind this entire problem, giving him an earful as to how careless and utterly stupid he had been. Needless to say, he learnt his lesson—considering the fact that he got a lecture from the «Blank», so of course it was a huge deal—and he'd never do the same thing.

He'd been listed down to be watched out for, in case he'd ever try to pull this stunt again. If worse comes to worst, his merchant license will be revoked, and he'd have no rights to trade or sell ever again.

Hah.

But still, it took way more longer than he actually thought it would. By the time the whole battle was done, the merchant had been talked to, and complaints had been taken care of, the day had turned almost into evening.

"Well, since all that's over with," PoH fell onto the bench beside him, huffing. "Wanna' get back already? My feet hurt."

"Yeah… Although, I've got just one little thing to take care of," the boy stood up. "All of you should get back. I just need to get to do a few more things, and then I'll be back. Trust me on that."

"You sure? We could come with you if you want," Asuna offered, sounding a bit worried.

Why wouldn't she? Knowing Nier, he was going to get himself into some sort of trouble. She just had that gut feeling. He's already done way too many crazy things on his own, it would've been the better choice to just follow him. God knows what he would do.

Just earlier, he almost died, although his return was pretty cool.

Flying out of the ravine in a twister… Like a scene taken from the plot of an action movie.

"Nah. Get some rest, all of you've already done enough," he shook his head. "Though, if there's any trouble, make sure to message me. I'll make sure to try and be back as quick as I could."

"It should be the other way around, you know," he heard Liz scoffing at him.

"Sure, sure," he rolled his eyes, making his way towards the 'Teleport Gate' in the town. "Well, see ya'."

* * *

Floor Eight: Frieven Village

Returning to the little settlement located on the top of trees, he didn't waste time getting to the head priest, carrying a strange little item in his inventory he remembered being told by the two powerful beings in that strange room to give to the old man.

Deciding to trust them on this one, he entered the church, noticing a few people in line to speak to the NPC.

Knowing that it would have been a bad idea to just shove them aside, he played the waiting game, taking a seat at one of the pews. Maybe he should have brought someone for com—

*Skeaa!*

"What?" He recognised that chirping, followed by a weight sitting on the top of his head. Glancing slightly up, he noticed that familiar blue feather. "Pina? You followed me?"

*Chirp!*

"You sure? Silica's your master you know, so shouldn't you go with her?" He said, gently lifting the female dragon off his head and settling her on his lap.

"Skiaa…*

"Fine, fine. I guess I'm grateful that you came along with me," he chuckled, petting the now-napping dragon, eliciting soft purrs from the beast.

It would only be half an hour later before the people finally cleared up, leaving just him and the old man.

Before he stood up, he made sure to place the little creature on his head, deciding not to wake it up yet, seeing the head priest.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hmm?" The old man corrected the glasses, smiling when he saw the familiar face he had just seen earlier this morning. "Ahh, the one I met earlier. Where are your companions?"

"I sent them home. This is my business, and I still have some other things to do," he answered. "In any case, I may not have what you wanted, but I have something else."

Operating his inventory, he pulled out the item; a pendant decorated with gold markings, and a strange image of what seemed to be a tree on the centre.

Seeing this, the man reached out his hand, taking the pendant and inspecting it.

"…Who gave you this?" He asked, sounding slightly serious.

"Friends of mine," he answered almost instantly, though he did find it far too strange to call them friends already. Then again, they did help him.

"I see…" He pocketed the pendant, before taking the book he had placed on the podium beside him. "I accept the item of which you have given me."

"And what exactly is it?" He asked, curious.

"An old trinket a certain person once had," he answered. "In any case, I believe you deserve to be granted the gift of the «Beast Tamer». Hold still, now."

Nodding, Nier kept his breath steady as he stood at the ready, watching as the head priest outstretched his arms and began chanting some spell, casting magic that took the form of a bright blue light that somehow turned green and purple, before turning back into the original blues and whites over him.

The sounds of bells, monsters and what sounded to be wind resonated in his ears. It was calming, pouring strength and energy into his being.

He could faintly hear the words of some other human, two in fact, saying things like how they trusted him to take this world by the tail and free the other players. Who were they?

As soon as the process ended, so too did the voices.

The old man put the book onto the podium once more, sighing.

"It is done, my child," he said. "I must warn you first and foremost, however. The beast of which you shall take with you will only respect you if you show that you can be trusted. Do not go so far as to instil distrust in it."

"Yeah, I got it," he nodded, walking out of the church. "And a little note to you, I don't intend to call them _just_ beasts from now on. Those of which I shall take with me, they are my «Familiars»."

His footsteps grew distant, finally becoming nothing when the doors of the church came to a shut.

The old priest that remained behind sighed, wondering just how things were going to be like from now on. Whatever 'end' that had been forebode was probably coming closer.

* * *

"You've been waiting for me?" Nier asked as he came in step with the man he had met in the room, who had been smiling at him this entire time.

"Not at all. I just got here," he said, gesturing a thumb over his back to some random shop. "We can use that door to get back. May avoid suspicion from the others."

"True. Pulling out a door in the middle of nowhere would certainly be a bad idea," he nodded in understanding, following the man. "Pina, wake up."

*…Chirp..?*

"Can you find your way back to the living quarters? I've got one last place I need to go, but I can't have anyone following me," he told her, of which she was instantly revitalised before taking off into the sky.

*Skreaa!*

"Good. Now go," and that was all that was needed to be said before the little «Feathered Dragon» flew off. Only when its little figure was out of sights did he follow after the man. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

In Another World, Untouched by Space and Time

 **"A pleasure to meet you again, milord,"** the titanic dragon spoke as his friend and the leader of the «Blank» entered the pocket dimension. **"So, how fares it?"**

"Went pretty well, if I must say. Though, he was a bit confused by where I got the pendant from," the boy said. "I just said I got it from some friends of mine."

"An honour that you would regard us as such," the man chuckled.

 **"Indeed,"** the dragon nodded, sounding extremely happy.

"It's nothing really," he shrugged. "Two things that I must address, though. One, the priest seemed somewhat worried about the pendant, saying that a person he knew once had it. Who was this person?"

 **"Unfortunately, we have given our word to our creator to not, as you humans would say, _spill the beans_ ,"** he shook his head.

"Jeez, that's quite a lot of things you can't say," he whistled, not at all mad. He supposed that, if there are things to be kept secret, then let it. "And number two… What now?"

"You tame «X'rphan». Simple as that," the man gestured to the white dragon, which had been sitting quietly this entire time, although its facial expression immediately turned into that of horror when it heard of the 'tame' part.

*Ghraa!*

 **"Oh, come now. He's not all that bad. You can trust him,"** the black dragon gave his reassurance, getting another snarl of disapproval from the white boss monster. **"Hmm… Then what would you want from him? To what extent must he go to prove himself worthy of becoming your master?"**

There was a short pause, time taken for the dragon to actually contemplate on the criteria. Obviously, there was no way it would actually allow itself to become tamed by such a weakling, it would definitely be skewered by this boy otherwise.

As much as it hated to admit it, this kid was definitely the strongest human it had ever laid eyes on, unlike those pathetic showers who declared themselves to win against it, when all they had ever done was run away midway through the fight.

And said child was busy staring at it, looking so lost as he inspected its body and other features, getting a tick mark to appear over the beast's head.

The attention was annoying, safe to say.

It was a good five minutes later before it finally came to a conclusion, speaking something to the masters of the room, both giving nods of their own in response.

"Why? What did he say?" Nier asked.

 **"He says that he shall allow you to become his master if you can satisfy his desire,"** the great black dragon replied.

"And what is it that you want, hmm?" He crossed his arms, fully expecting something not at all easy.

"He wants a show of power. To know that he will be ridden by a powerful tamer, and not some washed-up time whittler," there was a hum from the dragon, agreeing with his friend's words. "Well, good luck both of you."

Not even given any more time to say anything, the boy was taken to the centre of the room, with «X'rphan» standing just a feet away from him, staring him down, by a flash of light.

So, it thinks it's almighty? Bad mistake.

As far as he knows, had he actually gone for broke—and that would have including him using «Birth From Bytes»—then it would have certainly met a painful end there and then.

Back then, however, it would have certainly ended the dragon, and he was dead set on getting him to become his «Familiar», after all.

And all of that can be settled here, at this very moment, with a duel. And this was literally the greatest way to end it.

Pulling out «Monado» and «Binary», wielding both weapons once more, he prepared himself.

"Oh hey, I have an idea," the boy turned to both beings. "Set our health bars to take no damage, and instead convert the damage received to a mental damage. I'm not sure how to explain, but make it so that we get tired instead of actually receive damage."

"A fine idea. That would certainly be much better, considering the fact that «X'rphan» has four health bars, being the boss monster he is," he chuckled.

The white dragon just looked on, confused with his words. What did he mean by 'boss monster'?

Even then, it sounded cool.

 **"Sounds good. Do you agree by the conditions, «X'rphan»?"** There was a nod from his fellow draconian being, which meant it was good to go. **"Very well. A flip of a Cor shall start the game. Only when it reaches the ground shall you begin."**

The contenders gave a nod to each other, ready to get the show along.

The two friends shared a nod, before the human being flipped a piece of a Cor into the air, watching it twist multiple times.

It reached a height, dropping back to the ground due to the pull of gravity.

"Asciente," the boy said the moment the Cor clinked against the ground.

 ***Final Fantasy XV—Up For the Challenge (Play Song)***

*Groaah!*

"A battle cry just as the battle starts. Meh, I can accept that," he shrugged, powering up a «Monado: Buster».

Spreading its wings apart, covering such a wide space, the wyvern from the 'West Mountain' slashed its claws across the ground before charging towards Nier, picking up speed.

"Not going to happen," he said, unleashing the «Monado Art» and watching as his attack struck against the crystal-like scales that covered its body, hearing a painful screech before it was sent back. "Told ya'."

Not satisfied with being pushed back, it took a flying start before spiralling into the air, blowing winds of ice down towards him using its wings.

Quickly, he activated «Monado: Cyclone», sending the winds away from him.

One thing for sure, he would need to use his «Special Skill», which would be the only thing that could get him out of this pickle. He could keep this up for an hour, and almost nothing would change.

Just like the battle on the 'West Mountain', its incredible resilience would keep it alive, with just about no change. He needed to pull out the big guns to give himself the one-up.

Charging up «Monado: Buster», he watched as it fired beams of ice at him, with the boy dodging the attacks by sidestepping each attack. It would have been bad if it hit him. He needed all his energy for his upcoming attack.

*Grhaa!*

It sent another blast of ice towards him, increasing the power in hopes of hitting him. Even then, he managed to avoid them.

Too bad that it was still flying, or else he would have been able to cut it down.

"Playing like that, eh? Too bad, I've got something I can use," he said with a grin, activating «Monado: Purge» and shooting forth an energy orb towards the dragon, which struck it. "Not enough? Okay, another one."

Knowing now that just keeping its distance away from him was not going to work this time, the fact that he could still hit it from faraway due to that blasted sword of his, it took to a more evasive manoeuvre, swerving in the air to avoid the blasts.

Smart.

'Still not enough,' the boy said in his mind, snickering as he unleashed another barrage of energy, watching as each one hit the creature.

He's been an archer for a really long time now, so there was no way things like this was going to be hard for him. A piece of cake, really.

Charging up another «Monado Art», he felt the creature readying itself to slam down onto him. No doubt, the tire was already building due to how much damage it's received.

*SkraaAAA!*

It flew down there and then, opening its jaws and ready to let loose a breath of ice onto the player.

Already anticipating such a thing, he took for a more direct approach, activating «Monado: Buster» and slamming the entire weight of the plasma blade onto the beast, sending it tumbling down.

"Okay… Now!" This was his chance, and he was sure as heck that he wasn't going to let it slip out of his grasp. "«Birth from Bytes»!"

*Chh..!*

An infinite douse of energy slipped into his being, pushing him over the edge as he rushed after the still-downed creature, letting loose countless attacks and increasing his combo count.

It didn't help that, whenever the combo count reached an interval of ten-hits, the damage received would spike, making it easier to kill off the enemy.

In this case, tire out «X'rphan».

He noticed it during the battle. With each hit the dragon of wind and frost received, it seemingly grew more tired, its movements grew slower and its power reduced, which was exactly as how the rules of this game had been set to.

This was going to work.

"Hrhaa!" The boy unleashed a close distanced «Monado: Buster» onto the dragon's back, possibly decapitating it if the previous rules had been nonexistent, and his «Binary» swooped in with its own powerful stabs and blows, cutting down even more of its energy.

He raised his blade one final time, and brought it down in a decapitating manner

*Kling!*

 ***Final Fantasy XV—Up For the Challenge (End Song)***

"The battle is done! «X'rphan» can no longer continue the match!" The man rose from his throne, raising his voice until all that could be heard was his voice. "The winner is Nier!"

"Yes…" The boy laughed, almost falling over when the effects of «Birth From Bytes» finally stopped. Unlike last time, however, it wasn't all that bad.

Maybe because he didn't activate it for too long?

Made sense. Unlike with «Mechonis» or PoH, he had used this skill for like, what? Twenty seconds? Certainly a good thing to look out for.

Sighing, he put away his weapons, walking towards «X'rphan».

"Well, I've beaten you. Does that count?" He asked, smiling.

*Grr…*

"Now, now. Nier's defeated you fair and square. If there's anyone that you want to blame, it must be yourself," the man chuckled.

 **"Well then! I think it's time to get on with the pact-making sequence, no?"** Just as the dragon said that, the boy's eyes went wide.

"Ooh, yes, please," he wasn't jumping in place like any little kids would, but the excitement could be seen in his eyes.

Taming a dragon, the very same creature of imaginations that spawned destruction and felling upon the world, hailed as the most powerful thing to have ever lived and breathed… Now that sounded amazing.

But just before anything else could happen, «X'rphan» felt as if something was about to happen, which was understandable, judging by how the boy suddenly looked into the air.

It was pitch black, but there was definitely something there—

*Fwoo!*

"Whoa..!" The boy nearly jumped back by the powerful gushing of the wind, coming from the monster that literally came out of nowhere.

There was a light stomp on the ground, indicating that it had landed, and the moment he laid his eyes on it… He pulled out his book—the very same one Kayaba had drawn in—swapping his gaze from the monster to the pages, and back and forth.

A four-legged creature, fully black, just like the drawing. The wings on the back had 'claws' connected to them. The jaws were finely built, the body being slim yet strong.

Wait… Didn't Heathcliff say it was located on the bottom floors?

"A pleasure to finally have you with us," the man chuckled, leaning against nothing. Literally, he looked like he was leaning on something, but there was absolutely nothing there. "Where have you been?"

*Ghh…*

There was a low growl coming from the black monster, with no words needing to be exchanged before the two masters of the room gave their own nods, understanding.

 **"So, what sort of mishaps have you been up to late?"** In response, he earned a snarl, of which he sighed back. **"Really now? Trying to steal cattle? Wait, there's cattle down there?"**

"I thought there is?" The boy tilted his head, confused. He had seen some sheep down there, particularly on floor… eleven, perhaps. And needless to say, they made quite the feast when properly cooked.

 **"Huh, okay. I thought there weren't,"** he admitted, scratching his head.

*Grrha.*

At that, both the beings that resided within this room turned to look at the black dragon, a look of surprise on each of their features.

Nier, at this point, wished there was a skill for him to understand what monsters were saying. It would have been so much easier.

"Well, if it's your wish, then who are we to say 'no', huh?" The man laughed, clapping his hands. "Well then, Nier! It seems that you'll be getting two new «Familiars»!"

"Huh? What?" Blinking, he looked at the black dragon, who gave a nod at him. "Are you sure?"

*Ghra.*

 **"He certainly is. Says that he wishes to be of use to you,"** said the great dragon with a light chuckle.

"Very well! Nier, if you would please! Move to the centre of the room," the human entity spoke.

Doing as he was told, the boy stood at one point, with both the black dragon and the other white one—although slightly reluctant—standing opposite of him.

It was finally happening..!

 ***Legend Of Zelda, Breath of the Wild: Main Theme (Play Song)***

"Hold out your hands, Nier," said the man, as he sat on his throne, both he and his friend watching as this plays out before them.

Nodding, the boy outstretched both his left and right arm, opening his palm before the two magnificent creatures.

Both the dragons lowered their heads, keeping just a small distance before his palms touched their foreheads.

"Nier, you may commence the pact," he said, gesturing towards the dragons.

'W-What..?' He was going to let the man say the words, not for _him_ to create the pact itself! Dang, how was he going to do this?

Almost suddenly, the words came to him, like that of a novel. He's heard this before, he knows he does, and yet the image of it is very blurry, almost as if it was orchestrated not from some story, but for this exact moment.

He knew not what to think, but if this was the words of the pact, he knew that must be the words of which shall tie him and the creatures by heart and soul, hence he began chanting.

With a breath expelled from his lips, he began.

 _"Tie now the silver thread. Tie now the roots of our veins. The holly, so that we may not be separated. The ivy, so that we may not come apart. Tie to the yew tree seven times. Until the day the snake spits out of its tail."_

Chains formed out of nothingness, dancing around the bodies of the dragons. They moved like the waves, floating in the air around the human and acting as the metaphorical 'link' between he and the dragons.

He walked forwards, resting both palms against the crowns of the dragons, feeling their emotions, their strength, their time, everything connecting with his own, as his slipped into their hearts all the same.

The two dragons felt his respect to them, his wish to befriend them, to free the people of this world from their prison, to become stronger. Their hearts opened, ready to accept him as their master.

"Come, Shagaru. Bahamut," he spoke to both the dragon of the night, and the other of the 'West Mountain'.

*Snap!*

Blue flame suddenly trailed along the surface of the chains before they finally shattered, leaving behind just the great beasts in all their glory, glowing with power.

And thus, Nier walked down the path of «Sword Art Online» with a 'Gore Magala' and a «X'rphan» by his sides.

 ***Legend of Zelda, Breath of the Wild—Main Theme (End Song)***

* * *

 **A/N: And so, a boss monster and a monster from 'Monster Hunter' as his «Familiars». Now isn't that crazy?**

 **First thing to address, thank you once more for tolerating my works. The critiques were sometimes very scary to read, and honestly some that are funny and got my friends to be laughing—I'll admit, we're a bit crazy for a bunch of sixteen-year-olds. Haha…**

 **Two, I love 'Monster Hunter'. The game may not have much story, but the fact that you'd be fighting a monster was always something that was awesome in my book, and my wish to tame one remains with me to this day.**

 **Three, I think you guys should know where the pact words comes from. Take a guess! A simple hint, it's one of the best anime to have ever existed. I love it, one-hundred percent.**

 **And so, I've a few news to share with you;**

 **The first arc of this, properly named the 'Sword Art Arc' is soon coming to a close, and the chapters for the 'Alfheim Arc' is already started. So be ready for that! Or not, since it's your decision to read or drop it. Your life, your decisions, and I respect that.**

 **Thanks for reading this story! Leave a remark if you'd so wish, and make sure to give everyone else's works some reads as well. This community of fan fiction is growing, and there are bound to be amazing authors—much better than me, for sure.**

 **Well then, next time, Klein's turn to shine. Get ready, world, your one and only samurai's gonna' get laid (Shoutout to narutoxasuna25)! Peace.**


	21. Chapter 19

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

" _The game is done._ _"_ _-_ Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 19: Dragons of Aincrad'`

 _Many of those that hailed Nier as the hero of_ _«_ _Sword Art Online_ _»_ _would surely know of those that stood beside him._

 _Namely, his two_ _«_ _Familiars_ _»_ _, Bahamut and Shagaru._

 _It was without doubt that such a feat, taming two boss monsters of the game, was indeed impossible, given that there would have been no way of doing so since they have been programmed to be impossible to be befriended._

 _Then again, it was no surprise at this point that the_ _«_ _Blank_ _»_ _had done so many amazing things in his virtual life, so a thing such as this should not come as a surprise to most._

 _ **A/N: Okay guys, before you start looking forward to Klein**_ _ **'**_ _ **s moment to shine, I**_ **may** _ **have made a**_ **teensy little mistake** _ **, so there**_ _ **'**_ _ **s going to be a**_ **huge** _ **update to the entire thing. All of you will need to wait and see, it**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll take**_ _ **'**_ _ **AU**_ _ **'**_ _ **to the max.**_

* * *

*Grhaa…*

*Khhh…*

The light that once illuminated the room finally died, finally ending such a grandiose process that Nier had just bear witness to.

The back of his left hand shone momentarily, and when he looked down to it, there seemed to be a strange marking, resembling that of a dragon's head.

"Wait, what's this for?" The boy asked, raising his hand for the two beings to see. Even the dragons took interest in it, eyeing it like some strange, mystical object.

" **It allows you to call your** **«** **Familiars** **»** **to you any time you so wish, even from a distance,** **"** explained the black dragon. **"** **Of course, it also forms a connection between you both, so any pain experienced between one is felt by the other.** **"**

"Ooh, that's dangerous…" And the dragon's words acted as a reminder as to why Silica acted hurt whenever it was her own dragon partner that got injured. This must be it, though he never saw the mark on her own hand before this.

"Now Nier, I need to tell you something," the boy turned to the man, a sheepish grin on his face. "You may start off on bad terms with both your dragons, so I ask that you give them some time to fully—"

*Ghraa.*

Immediately, Shagaru threw himself down into what could have been described as a bow, whereas Bahamut just scoffed, turning his head away.

"Well, one of them trusts you. So give Bahamut some time, alright?" He ended, looking at the displeased-looking white dragon.

"Yeah, I get it," he nodded back. "Well, I should be getting back. Everyone's probably wondering where I am."

"Yeah, no kidding. Surely, where has their great leader gone off to this time?" Chuckled the human being as he snapped his fingers, creating a large opening. "Fly, Nier! Into «Aincrad» once more!"

"Yeah, you got it," nodded the human as he approached Shagaru, gently going up his body and holding the strange feelers on its head. "Does this hurt?"

*Rhaa.*

Shagaru shook his head, pulling out his wings and flexing his strange little claw-like limbs at the end, ready to take flight. Bahamut beside him just groaned, in a draconic way, before preparing himself as well.

The opening was indeed large, enough that both dragons should fit right through. Although, Nier had half a heart to tell them that he wasn't mentally ready for this…

Before dispelling such thoughts with a shake of the head. This was only going to make him look weak in Bahamut's eyes, and there was no way he was going to do such a thing. He wanted a display of strength, right? This was going to be the first step to such a thing.

"Alright, have fun!" Shouted the entity as he waved at them.

"Right," taking a deep breath, letting it all out through his nose, he raised his voice. "Let's fly!"

*GhrahAA!*

*Rhhuaaa!*

And with each wyvern producing their own growls that would have split anyone's ears in half, ringing through the entire room and leaving no such mercy, the two beasts entered a running start, before they suddenly jumped out of the tunnel—

*Fwoo!*

And their wings carried them off into the sky, bypassing air resistance as they jetted ahead.

"AaAAHHH!" Nier, on the other hand, resorted to just holding onto Shagaru's feelers as tightly as he could, screaming like a child on his first roller coaster ride as he felt the wind against his face, ignoring the beautiful scenery around him as he continued to scream.

Such was the sound that would travel across the floors of «Aincrad», with every player wondering just what could have really happened.

And those that were _really_ sharp would recognise it as the sounds of a certain black-white haired boy, carried across the skies on the back of a dragon, with another one just nearby.

The screaming ensued even as he flew straight for his own home.

* * *

The Next Day

"Are you sure? Nier didn't say anything to us at all," Asuna frowned.

After getting back home, they had received a message from their leader, who told them to wait for a while. He said that he'd be back home quick.

But, well… Judging by the transition at the very top of this little passage, you can tell that what he just said was a lie.

Where was he? Nobody knows. At first, they had thought that he was still at 'Frieven', but asking the people there earned them literally no answer. Going to the 'West Mountain' was a bigger waste of time, as there had been no signs of either him or «X'rphan».

It was as if they just dropped off the face of the earth. Or in this case, the game.

Which was why all of them looked to be extremely worried, except Yuna, who was saying that he had just messaged her, saying that he'll be home soon.

"That's what he said," she nodded, turning the message around so that everyone else could see it. They all read it, and it said exactly what she told them.

' _To: Yuna_

 _Sorry for the delay. I promise, I_ _'_ _ll be back today._

 _From: Nier_ '

"Well, isn't he late?" Argo asked, rhetorical.

No one could blame her for that. He's worried them quite a bit too much, even if he wasn't intending to do so. He's just really good at it, even by accident.

But still, shouldn't he at least message them if he was planning on leaving for a while? Sure, he was a big boy already, but the fact still remains that the game was incredibly dangerous, and them not being there to save him in case of trouble was just…

The thought scared them.

After all, he was known to easily get himself into trouble, no matter how hard he tries to stay away from it. It's as if everything, including the bad, has to revolve around him, with Nier being in the centre of it all.

From another part of the world, untouched by anything else, a human and his draconic friend sneezed, feeling somewhat responsible for that.

"Well, I guess the only thing we can do now is just wait…" Sighed Sachi as she held her hands together.

"So… Can anyone tell me what has he _really_ been doing all this time? I'm a bit lost here," Agil said, scratching the back of his head before crossing his arms.

And thus, Asuna told all of them about everything. About Nier's intention to become a «Beast Tamer»—that part got many a gasp from everyone in the room, for those that didn't know what exactly had been going on of course—going out on the same quest as Silica once had. The only difference was that he had to slay «X'rphan».

Then she proceeded to tell them that he had invited her, Silica and Lisbeth to help him out, and everything went splendid, until a fissure suddenly appeared at the bottom of the mountain. «X'rphan» fell in there, and—not wanting to lose his chance whatsoever—Nier jumped in after it.

It was only when he managed to come out of there, apparently having propelled himself out of there by using «Monado: Cyclone», did that put everyone's hearts at ease.

After they returned from the 'West Mountains', meeting up with PoH and Philia in 'Granzam' and taking care of their bull problems—literally—and then…

Well, that was it. After that, he said that he was going back to 'Frieven' to see the head priest about something. And then nothing. He had sent them no messages, and absolutely nothing else. No one knew where he went, or whatever happened to him.

Well then, since he was going to get back home, they were going to get him to sit down, and talk to them about whatever the hell happened over a nice cup of tea—

*Hraa..!*

"Hmm? Is there something outside?" Silica looked out the window, hearing something off in the distance. Even Pina looked, a look of curious on her draconic features.

"Probably some random mob or something," Sachi commented, standing up.

"Yolko, wanna' come with?" Klein turned to look at the purple-haired woman.

"Umm… Sure, I guess I could," she nodded, not knowing what else to do.

The group of players stepped out of the living quarters, wondering as to what was causing the sudden pick up of wind outside.

Their answer came soon, however, as a large black figure seemed to be flying straight at them. Wait a minute… Oh damn, it was coming straight at them! And it was coming _fast_!

"Oh shoot! Everyone, arm yourselves!" Shouted their «Vice Commander».

However, before they even managed to touch their inventory, the being had landed on the ground already, pushing all of them back by the sheer force it created upon landing. Fen and grass flowed with the wind, and little bits of dirt were sent flying everywhere.

When they all fell backwards, they thought they were going to be dead or anything, but the second dragon that landed got gasps from three people.

"«X'rphan»?!"

"B-But..! We thought..!"

"What the hell?!"

And before anyone else could comment even further, especially Asuna, Silica and Lisbeth, all three of them swearing that they saw the dragon dying when it fell in that ravine, another surprise came in the form of person.

Said person slid down the back of the black dragon, stumbling on the dragon as he stood on wobbly legs, only able to remain standing as he kept his arm on the dragon's wing.

He wasn't even looking at them when he spoke.

"H-Help me…" He whimpered, softly.

* * *

Later

"So you're saying that you managed to tame two 'Boss Monsters'? One of which you were supposed to slay, and the other one came to you?" Argo questioned her leader, earning a nod of assent from the male. "And they're 'Boss Monsters', but… Wow. Just… wow."

She just fell backwards into her chair, sighing as she just rubbed her face, utterly at a loss for words.

Everyone were still trying to digest the fact that their leader and friend—and in the girls' case, crush—had just tamed two _bosses_ , which was supposed to be impossible! And considering the fact that, in every game, it should be close to impossible—actually, scratch that, it _is_ impossible to make the boss an ally!

So how the hell did he make two bosses of this game his «Familiars»?! It makes no sense! It should be just, just..!

*Sigh…* They didn't know what to say anymore.

"Nier, what's their names?" Yui asked, being the only one who didn't seemingly look all that worried. In fact, she seemed to have taken the news quite well.

He shook his head, not wanting to say anything as he still tried to deal with the massive headache.

The thing is, he had left the room and went to floor twenty-seven to just get a break. And afterwards, he made the worst decision to try riding the two dragons once more.

It was only worse from there.

Shagaru was indeed a merciful thing, practically patient with his master the entire time. Trying to go slow to help him with the entire deal, knowing how scary flying is for the very first time. And so, he decided to take a slow pace, making sure that his master was able to enjoy the sights.

Bahamut, however…

Well, he still didn't like Nier, judging by the way he was currently sitting away in another room, rather than being with all of them right now. They might have just chalked it up to his personality, but they soon learnt that he didn't want to be with his new 'captor' right now, based on what Shagaru said, which was indeed only understood with help from Yui understanding what the black dragon said.

It was terrible. Riding on Bahamut immediately sent his mind into rampage, which meant that he would be flying like a mad dragon, not even going slow. The entire time was like the speed of Mach 7, which certainly made Nier so happy that he was going back home on Shagaru's back, and not the white one.

They would have found it funny, if it weren't for the look of disarray their leader was currently in. It looked like he was thrown into a rollercoaster against his will, said contraption being on the speed of a bullet train, before he was finally pulled out roughly.

*Ghraa.*

" **He says that his name is Shagaru,** **"** translated Tael as he listened to the dragon's voice. **"** **And the other one, the one that just left the house to go fly around is Bahamut.** **"**

The 'Gore Magala', although in a small and cuter version of when he had shown up outside their doorstep earlier, nodded.

A strange thing to note was that the «Familiars» were capable of shrinking their size to a more 'chibi' version of themselves, which explained why they were able to be inside their base right now, sitting on the couch with their master.

If they were in their original size, they would have wrecked just about everything.

So the initial conclusion to come to was that every «Familiars» were able to shrink down. That got everyone looking at Pina, before her master stated that she was already in her original size.

"So… Bahamut is really «X'rphan the White Wyrm»?" Silica asked, still amazed that her leader achieved such a feat.

Shagaru just gave another nod, with everyone there murmuring amongst each other as to what they were going to do about him. Their talk was cut short with another growl from Shagaru, with their fellow fairy translator speaking once more.

" **He said that Bahamut will come back home soon enough. For now, we can just worry about getting some rest,** **"** the black fairy gave a sad smile at his human friend, who looked worse for wear.

" **Come on, Nier. We should get you to bed. You look like you** **'** **re going to die or something,** **"** scoffed the older siblings of the fairies.

"R-Right…" Weakly replied the monochromatic-haired boy as he slowly got off the couch, shakily making his way towards his own room while being supported by his black «Familiar», the other one having gone off to God knows where.

Well then, looks like they had two new additions to their group after all. And interesting ones, to boot.

* * *

The Next Day

"Hwuhaa..!" Nier yawned as he stretched an arm above his head, walking out of his room with a pleasant smile. "Man, yesterday was crazy…"

Riding a dragon had always been his dream, ever since he was still a young little thing hoping to try out all other weird stuff. Sure, it could be childish, but it was something that he honestly wanted to do, no matter what everyone else were probably going to say.

And yet, he had never thought that it was seriously going to be _that_ hard. Well, looks like he had a lot of things to work up on, especially his ability to not lose it whenever he goes fast.

Talking about fast, he wondered what Bahamut was doing right now.

"He wasn't in the room when I woke up… Maybe off hunting for some fish?" He thought for a moment before deciding to just drop it with a shrug. "Well, not my business, and certainly not his fault."

He still retained that wish to be free. To know what it was like to just fly without needing to be told to and whatnot. So let him do what he wishes. As long as he doesn't hurt himself, or doesn't get anyone else hurt in the process, Nier didn't mind whatever Bahamut was going to do.

Still, he _would_ like it if Bahamut could at least treat him nicely. Not glare at him anytime they look at each other in the eye. Kinda' feels like he did a pretty bad thing to—

"Oh wait, I did…" Nier sighed, knowing that he _did_ tame «X'rphan», which was why the dragon was acting like those angsty teenagers in those old TV shows. "But still..! Not like it's a horrible thing, right?"

In fact, if he was a really bad master, he would have forced Bahamut to stay in the house until he was given permission. But nope. He trusted the dragon, let him roam around the floor and do whatever thing he so pleased.

Would it really kill the dragon to trust his master back?

"Well, I guess I can go try and get some fishing done… Maybe that'll put Bahamut in a good mood," that last thought sat nicely with him, with which he soon left his cabin, yawning once more as he made his way to the lake.

Today was a particularly good weather, so he was feeling quite lu—

*Boom!*

"Whoa," the gamer blinked as he wondered as to where the noise came from, until sounds of discomfort came from the village. He sighed, messaging his temples. He had a feeling what just happened, but he didn't like it.

In any case, deciding to investigate, he jogged off to where the village was… and sighing once more at what he just saw.

Bahamut was in the centre of the village, in what was fitting to be called a crater, although a small one, with a lot of carts having been blown to the side, falling down, and all the villagers, NPC's and players alike, looking at the white dragon with eyes of anger and vexation.

But the dragon paid them no mind, merely snarling before walking away.

"Bahamut," Nier called, but the dragon didn't bat an eye towards him. "Bahamut."

He called out once more, yet received no response whatsoever. He was far too late, as he was already gone by the time he called his name for the fifteenth time. Even calling him louder didn't work.

Looks like he has something else to work up on now…

Gaining the trust of his «Familiar»? Definitely the first thing on his list of 'Things to Do' now.

"Hey Nier," the boy turned around, seeing Nishida the fisherman approach him. "Sorry. Just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, I know… It's Bahamut, isn't it?" Smiled the younger gamer, knowing just how bad he really made things go.

The villagers of 'Coral' were certainly taken aback when they found out that the two dragons that flew in the skies and had landed that time was indeed Nier's new «Familiars». Well, at least they took the news well, and weren't going so far as to attack the dragons.

Although, it seems like one of his «Familiars» just got himself a bad reputation already…

"Look, Nier, not that I'm saying that he's not welcome here… but take a look for yourself," the old man glanced at where the crater was, with some people complaining about the mess he created. "All the goods that fell immediately disappeared. We're going to be in big trouble if we can't fix this."

"And you're going to ask me to handle it, as I should, since Bahamut is my own «Familiar», hence being my responsibility," nodded the «Blank» in understanding.

"Look, you don't need to pressure yourself or anything. Just try to make sure this doesn't happen ever again," Nishida gave a pat on Nier's shoulder, making way back to the village. "I may be able to tolerate that dragon of yours, but the others may not share the same amount of patience as I do."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Nishida," and when the fisherman finally got back, Nier turned on his heels, calling for Shagaru through his mind. 'Shagaru, with me.'

Soon enough, the 'Gore Magala' appeared, having flown all the way from his cabin. The black dragon that shrunk down to his 'chibi' form, landing on the ground and looking up to him.

*Skreaa.*

"Yeah, we've got a big problem. And one that has to do with Bahamut…" Sighed Nier as he rubbed the back of his head. "Come on, we need to find him. Do you know where he is now?"

There was a slight pause, before the dragon just closed his eyes, letting out his feelers. A strong purple luminescence emanated from the end of those feelers, dimming before they retracted, returned to their original positions.

"Found him? Great. Then lead the way," whistled the boy as he watched Shagaru move ahead, ready to follow him before he felt two little things having settled on his head, and—

*Kyuu!*

"Pina?" He blinked, noticing it flying just beside him. "And… Tatl, Tael? Is that you guys?"

" **Indeed,** **"** spoke back the younger fairy. **"** **We thought of coming with you. Where will you be going?** **"**

"To have a hard talking to with Bahamut, that's for sure," their friend sighed, feeling a slight huff coming from his head. Must have been Tatl.

" **Him? That stubborn wyvern won** **'** **t even let you say a damn thing to him before he runs off to the forest and burn it down the ground,** **"** scoffed the white fairy.

"Come now, he isn't that bad," the human chuckled back.

" **Of course, we** **'** **re not saying that going to him is a bad idea** **…** **if it wasn** **'** **t it. But the fact stays that trying to communicate with Bahamut will indeed be a challenge,** **"** Tael hummed with a slightly afraid tone. **"** **He** **'** **s stubborn, just as my sister said. In fact, I would say he** **'** **s even worse.** **"**

" **See? My brother agr** **—** **Wait a minute! Tael, you just called me stubborn, didn** **'** **t you? What the hell, you just did!** **"** The sister screamed, venting her anger on her brother. **"** **What the hell?! I** **'** **m not stubborn! How dare you accuse me of such thing!** **"**

"… **No comment,** **"** easily replied the younger one.

"Anyways, we should definitely get a move on if we want to find Bahamut, before he goes missing again," and as such, Nier followed his «Familiar», deciding to just ignore the sister fairy's rantings.

After a while, the group of five—Nier, Pina, Tatl, Tael and Shagaru—came upon a clearing in the forest, after the human easily dispatched the monsters in the way, helped by his black «Familiar» literally blasting them to bits with his own fire.

Seriously though, they weren't kidding when they said the mobs here were really weak. It just made it kinda' sad to kill them.

In any case, in the clearing, light struck down on the currently sleeping white dragon, seemingly bouncing off of his white scales and making him look magnificent.

Nier almost didn't want to wake him up and leave him be, but the fact that he did indeed cause a ruckus back in 'Coral' forced him to have a talk with the dragon.

"Hey, Bahamut. Wake up," he called, standing just a distance away in case he would try to lash out at him.

As expected, the previous «X'rphan» did not respond, opting to just tune him out as he remained sleeping, though he did grumble a bit in his sleep.

" **Nier, just forget it. This stupid thing isn** **'** **t going to make you life easier,** **"** Tatl spat, pitying her friend. He came all this way for the thing, and he barely acknowledges his presence? How dare he!

"He's my responsibility, and I need to talk to him about this," Nier still decided to give it a shot, so he walked up to the dragon. "Shagaru, grow."

*Krrh..!*

The 'chibi'-sized dragon was covered by black particles before he finally returned to his original size, approaching his fellow «Familiar» cautiously. Who knows what he'll do when they wake him up.

And if he tries to harm their master… There was going to be a fight between dragons in this forest, and he was going to give em' a good fight.

When the human got close enough to the sleeping dragon, just far away that his tail wouldn't suddenly swat him away, he coughed into his fist before raising his voice.

"Wake up, Bahamut!" He screamed, hoping that this one got a response.

*Ghrrr…*

Luckily, it seemed that Bahamut finally budged an inch. His muscles tensing and relaxing, before he suddenly rose up, glaring daggers at Nier.

He still hasn't gotten over it, it seems.

"We need to talk, said his master with a calm composure.

*Grhaa.*

Snarling back, Bahamut was about to leave until Shagaru and Pina suddenly blocked his way, both dragons shaking their heads.

*Rhuaa.*

*Kyuu!*

Their individual growl and chirp got a harsh look from the dragon of frost, but he otherwise remained still, not saying anything else.

Looks like he's good. For now, at least.

"Okay, can we talk now?" Nier asked. Getting nothing as a response, he continued. "Okay, first off, what were you doing earlier?"

*Rhaau.*

" **He says that he was just flying in the sky,** **"** Tael translated.

"Okay, I'm okay with that. But why did you suddenly crash in the middle of 'Coral'? The people weren't happy with the mess you made," he crossed his arms.

*Grhaa!*

He looked like he was about to lash out at the teenager, but the the other dragons stood at the ready. Any false moves, and they wouldn't mind things going south.

One against two? Pfft, easy.

Although, just that knowledge was enough to make Bahamut stop in his tracks, knowing for sure how dangerous Shagaru was. Forget Pina, the little thing's probably got sand for muscles. But the black one… he was a powerhouse. Going up against him was suicide.

*…Krhaa.*

"… **He accidentally hit his head on the ceiling of the floor, and fell,** **"** Tatl dead-panned, before just sighing.

So it seems that he thought the sky was truly endless, and really thought of flying all the way up? Genius, genius… and splendidly foolish of him.

Nier couldn't help but chuckle at that, imagining the shock it must have felt when it certainly hit something there.

Bahamut, on his part, just remained silent, though his deadly look remained firm on his face, not going away. This human was a nuisance, along with everyone else. It would be better to just leave him alone, and they wouldn't need to deal with such trouble.

Just before he could go waltzing away from the area, find someplace much more comfortable than anywhere else—

"Bahamut," his captor called him.

*Ghraa…*

Groaning, in a way that sounded more like a menacing growl—although, if it did work to scare him off, that would be much appreciated—the dragon turned its head…

Only to see the monochromatic-haired boy smiling at him.

"Don't stay out too long, alright?" He said, patting Shagaru on the head. "Come on, everyone. Let's leave him be."

And the human left the forest, with everyone else following him.

Leaving Bahamut alone once more.

For a moment there, he would have loved nothing more than to just rip him to shreds… but suddenly found himself lacking the will to carry out such a thing.

Damn it… He was growing soft, wasn't he?

Oh well. As long as they didn't try to meddle with his affairs, then there would be no problem.

* * *

A Week Later

"What they eat?" Silica blinked, a finger on her lip as she thought about it for a moment before she answered her leader. "Well, it depends on the bea—err, «Familiar». Silica likes eating sweets."

*Kyuu!*

"I see… But isn't that unhealthy for her?" Nier tilted his head, curious.

"W-Well, I feed her candy _sometimes_! Not all the time!" She corrected herself, coughing into her fist. "Her main diet is fish."

"Fish, eh? So it all boils down to the type of «Familiar»…" He hummed, looking to where Yuna and Rosalia were playing chess—it looked pretty tense, actually, with both sides looking just about ready to take the win. "But it seems all of the dragon-types like meat."

It was a trend he noticed while he observed all the «Familiars». Pina certainly seemed fine with the smaller trouts, seeing that she wasn't all that big. Shagaru appreciated a good oxen every once in a while, and Bahamut was… well, that was the whole reason why he was asking.

To be honest, the entire week, they hadn't gotten anywhere. It was easy to say that Bahamut was being stubborn as always, but Nier was going to do something about it.

He wasn't going to be able to change that, that was for sure, but he may as well try to break down the barriers he enacted around his heart. He can remain hard-headed, but he would like it if the dragon could come to trust others around him.

In this game, it was fight or die. And it was a fact that fighting together was better, since you would have someone to watch your back for you.

For sure, he would have become a solo player, had it not been Klein's and Yuna's persistence. They were the reason why he had formed a guild, why he went out of his way to form bonds with others and grow stronger. To protect them.

Because of them… all these good things were happening.

*Clack!*

"Checkmate! Yes!" Excitedly declared the songstress of «Blank» as she raised her arms in the air, with a dumbstruck-looking Rosalia blinking as she looked at the chess board, not believing that she had just lost…

Until she realised that she had positioned her king piece in a fashion that gave her absolutely no escape from the enemy bishop, which couldn't be killed by her own rook due to the pawn blocking the bishop.

The redhead just sighed, getting a pat on the back from Klein.

For some reason, Nier had a feeling…

Shaking his head, knowing for sure that he was almost going out of topic, he knew for a fact that he had to take care of Bahamut. Just as his friends reached out to help him, he was going to help Bahamut, damn his stubbornness.

'Let's see… What did he eat back on 'West Mountain'?" He thought, knowing for sure that there had been no lakes or seas in the area for him to go catching fish from. And there was definitely no forests there to go find some boars. 'Hmm… Maybe he eats crystals?'

It would have been a crazy thought, but it is possible for some creatures.

And that brought up the topic of _what_ mineral he even eats.

"Oh well, I suppose I'll just take a shot at it," he shrugged.

"Going anywhere, Nier-sama?" Lux asked, noticing that he was making his way to the door.

"Lux, it's Nier," he laughed at her, seeing her grow flustered.

"A-Ah, right..! S-Sorry," she looked away for a moment, still not used to calling him by his own name. It became a habit at this point.

"It's fine. And I'm going fishing for a while, so watch the house while I'm out," he told her, leaving the living quarters, going to the same lake as always.

Wow, how coincidental. Last week, the day was just as nice as today.

Would have been nice to have just taken a nap right now…

"Aah, whatever. I've got stuff to do," and so, he pulled out his fishing rod, ready to win this. "Fish or not, I'm going to get through to Bahamut, no matter what."

With that declaration, he stepped onto the sand, pulled back his rod, before swinging it forwards, watching as the bob crashed into the water before resurfacing, drifting atop the surface.

This was going to be long.

*Tkk..!*

…Or maybe not.

"Hah!" With a strong pull, Nier managed to get the fish out, holding the end of his line. "A trout, huh? Not too bad."

Deciding to fish for a bit longer, he managed to get fish of a different varieties. Rock bass, bluegill, sunfish, and surprisingly enough a grass carp, albeit a purple one.

At first, he thought the last one was sick or something, until he realised that it was just a colourisation choice, so he just left it there.

Afterwards, he went back into the forest, on his own this time, trying to make sense as to where his white «Familiar» was. He certainly wasn't in his previous clearing, so he must have found someplace else.

It was troubling to find him, but after some time searching, he came upon _another_ clearing, which was much deeper in than the previous one.

This time, Bahamut had not been asleep, but was instead looking off to some other place. It was only after Nier purposely stepped on a branch did that get his attention.

Instead of a snarl, he just looked at him cautiously.

Nier supposed that time they went doing some quests together two days ago must have helped in some way, even if not a lot.

"I just wanted your opinion. Which one do you like?" He asked as he operated his menu, placing each fish on the ground, watching them flop up and down on the spot.

*Ghra…*

The white dragon eyed them for a moment, looking suspicious. And then, he just shook his head, looking away.

"Don't like fish?" His captor asked.

*Grhaa.*

"No? Well, okay… Then what _do_ you like?" He asked once more, wondering just what is it that he liked eating.

The dragon didn't say anything, merely resorting to just walk away from the area, not sparing him a single glance. Nier just sighed, knowing that this was going to be troublesome.

Then again, he's dealt with worse things… How would raising a dragon compare to the things before this?

* * *

Floor 55: Granzam—Heathcliff's Office

Apparently a lot.

"Well… considering that «X'rphan» does indeed live on the 'West Mountains' all this time, and seeing that he has not been sighted leaving the area to find livestock… It's most reasonable to say that he _does_ eat the crystals that grew there," concluded the commander of the «Knights of Blood».

"Really? I was hoping not, but I suppose if that's the case…" Sighed the younger gamer as he stared out the window, to where the cold mountain range was located at. "It can't be helped, I guess."

"You're planning to go there? To get minerals for your «Familiar»?" Asked the man in slight curiosity.

"Yeah. Apparently, Bahamut has been seen flying up the floors to get to the 'West Mountains'. To get food here, apparently," shrugged the human. "Although, I'd rather not let him go on his own. Could get him in trouble."

"Or there's another reason that you want to go there," suggested the older man with a grin, in which he got a sigh in response.

"You got me, Heathcliff. It's just… I want him to start trusting me. And if not me, then the others. As long as he opens up to those around him, and not just remain reclusive to the world, then that's all that I'll ask from him," the young «Blank» explained, looking somewhat sad.

Everyone deserves better. And that included a very stubborn dragon that he knew.

Sure, he may as well behave that way at first, but there's no doubting the fact that he has to help him, no matter what.

So for now, slow and simple steps. Gain his trust, be his friend, and forge a powerful bond with the previously 'boss monster'.

"Haha… I've heard that you've been having troubles with him. Was he truly that bad?" Asked the commander with a smile.

"Not so much, though he can be quite the handful," he shrugged back. "Well, I'd better get going. Those minerals ain't going anywhere."

And so, he stood up from his seat before leaving the room, ready to make his expedition up those mountains.

* * *

Floor 55: West Mountains

To be honest, there had been so little mobs spawning around here that he didn't need to worry about getting attacked.

The only thing that he could hope for was having brought someone along with him. Kinda' lonely, to be honest…

"Dang, the snow is way too much…" He huffed as he shielded his eyes from the incoming wind, biting against his eyelashes. "The minerals should be a bit more further in."

It was honestly surprising for even himself to be able to see past all this snow, seeing that it was so heavy that it would have rendered one's sight practically nothing. And yet, it only made sense that he could still see was because he had activated «Libra».

The hacked ability basically rendered the snow to translucent objects, and everything else grew dark. Sure, it would have been hard to move around, but he was still able to see perfectly fine. It was just that he could see the outlines of the ground below him, and any other things around him, so he'd know where to go and avoid things that he may trip on.

Back to the topic of why he was here, he was going to need to hunt for some minerals that Bahamut consumes. The question is; what?

Then again, the only thing he _could_ see around him was these damn ice crystals sticking out from the ground like it's nobody's business. Maybe these were it?

Then again, it couldn't be that simple.

Or he may just be overthinking all of this, and just wanted to make things harder for himself.

…That last part was probably it.

"Hmm… How am I supposed to harvest it, though?" He hummed to himself as he stared at the beautiful crystals around him. One soft brush of the hand across the surface told him that these things were really strong. Like diamonds, perhaps.

There were two possible outcomes here; either these crystals be treated as «Immortal Object» as everything else, or perhaps could be destroyed.

"Well, not like there's a better way of knowing rather than trying, I guess…" Saying that to himself didn't make anything better.

Immediately, he equipped himself with «Monado», giving it a few swings to test himself with the sword once more, before holding it before himself in a fittingly-named 'Kenjutsu Chudan' stance, powering up his sword.

Slowly, he raised it over his head—

"Haah!"

*Fwoo!* *Ching!*

With a loud shout, he swung the blade straight down, crashing the plasma blade strongly against the crystals, forcing some of the shards to fly away.

Blinking, somewhat not expecting it to actually work, he picked up a large fragment of the crystal.

" _«_ _Blue Crystal_ _»_ _. A strong mineral that can be used to strengthen a blade weapon. Sometimes known to be_ _…_ _eaten by dragons_? Well, isn't that great," he whistled after reading the description of the item he had picked up. "Well, I'm going to need more of this, then."

Looking around him, a grin formed on his face.

"Time to get started," and «Monado» hummed once more.

* * *

Floor 3: Forest of Wandering Mists

Now I know what you're thinking. Why did I suddenly bring you all here, when Nier's supposed on floor fifty-five?

We're getting there, don't worry.

Instead, we'll take a short detour to our mysterious human-like entity, waltzing through the beautiful forest without so much of a care.

Sure, there were mobs here and there, and the occasional «Elder Treant» were quite the nuisance, but one must remember that he who holds no name, the very same who is walking these grounds, is indeed a powerful being beyond comprehension, having bended worlds and controlling factual reality and mere data without so much trouble.

Such feat of defeating the mobs that spawned here was not difficult.

In fact, he could say that, surprisingly enough, fighting with a sword _was_ fun.

His jagged-looking blade, which people would have called out-of-date, had already cut down quite a few without so much trouble.

From the distance, he could see a «Magma Boar», pawing the ground with its foot, getting ready to charge towards him. And then, it charged forwards, ready to ram its tusk into the human and utterly destroy him.

A fatal mistake.

"Well, I have to admit, it is somewhat pitiful, that your attack pattern is predictable," he chuckled, holding his sword at his side. "I don't even want to put you down… But I suppose it's fine. Your process of reincarnation is not too complicated, and you will get killed someday anyways. So."

When the boar came into his attacking range, the man lowered his blade, cutting it in a diagonal uppercut, leaving a wide gash in the mob's body, that simple attack having depleted its health completely.

*Chssh!*

Its body convulsed for a moment before ultimately shattering into a million polygons of light and colour, body fading away like its existence had been practically nothing.

"Hmm… Maybe I should try to poke them instead of actually cutting them," he said to himself, beginning to walk once more.

*Snap!*

"Hmm?" Noticing that he had indeed stepped on a dead twig, he crouched to pick it up, only to stop midway as he rose when he felt an arrowhead directly at the nape of his neck. He just smiled, not feeling threatened at all. "May I help you?"

"You are trespassing Elven grounds. State your purpose," it was a woman's voice, sounding dangerously close to just releasing her bow.

"I'm merely taking a stroll. This forest is incredibly beautiful, so I couldn't help myself," he shrugged, rising until he stood on his two feet now. He didn't turn however, trying to act as friendly as he could. "Forgive me if I disturbed the peace."

"…Hmph," with a huff, the elf dropped her weapon. "As long as you're not here to disturb us."

"I never thought of such a thing," he shook his head, turning on his heels. "Besides, you are a friend of milord. I could never think of harming you."

She may have seemed like a human, but the pointy ears said otherwise. The lilac hair with those pretty violet ears of hers, dark-skinned and somewhat tall, wearing black and purple as her armour and a scimitar and a round shield.

"Who do you speak of?" She asked, sounding wary of him.

"I'm not certain if you remember him, but he goes by the name 'Nier'," he answered, not missing the look of surprise that donned her face. "He's currently leading a guild called the «Blank». Impossible to not have heard either of them. You must know him, perhaps?"

"Indeed. He assisted us Dark Elves against the Forest Elves during the Elf War," she nodded as she explained to the man. "You know of him?"

"I'd like to think of myself as his acquaintance, though he insists that we refer to myself and my friend as his own, so yeah," the man chuckled. "In any case, my friend and I tend to help him whenever he so requires assistance."

"Truly? I'm glad to hear that he is fine," there was a hint of a smile on her face, as if she was reminiscing about the times she had met him. "He is indeed a unique soul. A kind one, no less, having gone out of his way to assist us Dark Elves. And…"

"And?" One of his eyebrows quirked upwards.

"He had, against all sense of logic, found a way to forge peace between our races, which I myself would have thought was practically impossible," she sighed, knowing just how amazing Nier was. "He… did things that we deemed impossible, that were nonsensical. I'll admit, I had joined my people in belittling him, but he pushed through. He—"

"You said that he helped both the Elves to form a peace treaty with each other? How does that work?" He asked, curious. "But before that, let's find someplace to go. We wouldn't want others to disturb us."

"Ah, right. Follow me," she called towards him, and walked off to someplace, with the man following her.

It was a short trek to some tent, where a diminished campfire was located at. There was a pot of water nearby, with some other sticks laying around.

She took a seat on a log, and was about to offer him a place to sit at until he just shook his head, deciding to just lean against the tree was more than comfortable enough.

"Well, you asked us as to how he helped us achieve peace with each other, correct?" When the purple-haired elf received a nod, she continued. "He… did what neither of our races had ever thought before. He had, in a way, kidnapped both our queen and the king of the other country."

"Truly? Well, isn't that a daredevil's stunt," laughed the man, getting a nod.

"Indeed. At first, we wondered as to what he was truly going to do, only to learn that he had demanded from them as to stop the war. It was maddening, at first… but he actually did it," she sighed. "Of course, the first thing he had taught us was to not kill."

'To not kill…' The entity repeated in his mind, understanding him. 'He hadn't done such a thing when he engaged the other players.'

"It was a strange thing. To not kill the enemy? I would have just spat at the thought… if only it didn't work," the second sigh came out once more, but it held tinges of amazement. "Somehow, along the way, he managed to do it. He helped us understand one another, stopped the war without having anyone dying, and ultimately make both our races exist in peace."

"He's scared of killing, I believe," the man was the next to speak, getting her attention. "He believes that all life is sacred, and thus, should not be played simply. That he must, no matter what, protect each and every one of them. It's impossible, but he wishes for it so."

It was the fact reason why he did not have the heart to kill PoH back then. Why he couldn't bring himself up to murder anyone, even if this was a game, and he would not be blamed. As long as he could, he will not take the life of another.

"The people may have families, may have someone or something to return to. That's what he probably told you, am I right?" His smile was calm, understanding.

"Indeed. I must say, it was very… painful to accept the fact that we had been doing such a thing for so long. To kill those that had families, and possibly children no less," the grimace she had was quickly displaced with a shake of the head. "Nonetheless, we got over it, and we now coexist without much trouble. If only I could thank him…"

"Why didn't you?" He could only think that Nier left immediately.

"Well…" She bit her lip, contemplating on whether or not to just tell him, before she just began. "You see, it was two years ago, on the very same time he had finally ended the Elf War…"

* * *

Two Years Ago—Floor 9: Dark Elf Queen's Castle

"Jeez… Can't I just wear something else, Asuna?" Nier asked in a whiny fashion as he tugged on the collar of his suit, wondering why he was suddenly wearing this damn thing. A black suit and dark grey silk pants, made by some of the best tailors here, finished off with a pair of boots.

"No you can't. The queen will be coming, and we can't look any less great," the strawberry-blond lass replied with a soft smile, wearing a beautiful black dress that parted slightly down her legs, with a red-beads necklace and a black scarf around her neck, and a black and red flower in her hair.

"Yeah… And think about it like this, Nier! We get to meet _the queen_! And they said that she's got killer looks!" Happily exclaimed his best friend with that goofy grin of his, wearing the same suit and pants, before getting a sigh from behind him.

"Klein, you can't act that way in front of Her Highness, alright? What if the guards decided to kick you out?" Yuna spoke, crossing her arms over her chest. She was wearing a pretty white dress, her hair done into a braid that went really well with her. She even had crystal earrings on, finished off with pleasant make-up.

"Oooh… That's gonna' suck, for sure…" Klein agreed without hesitation, though the look of worry was not at all displaced. "Alright, I'll make sure to be on my best behaviour! And nothing is going to change that!"

"You'd better. I'm not going to find you if you _do_ get kicked out…" Sighed the youngest player, coincidentally also the leader of their little party, before making his way out of the little room they had been waiting in. "Come on, the people wouldn't let us stay in here forever."

Some of the maidens here had offered to help them change into their new outfits, and suffice to say, they were quite happy with how they looked—except Nier, who never thought that suits could be so suffocating.

It looks good, that no one can disagree on, even him. But to be actually wearing it… that was a whole new experience.

In any case, the group of four moved to where every one else were gathered at. It was like some ball room, with so many tables of food and drink at the sides of the room.

At either side of the entrance to this really spacious room, stood two statues of the supposed Goddesses of the Elves, both of whom were supposedly sisters in the context of their Elven folklore, that had lived with each other until a great calamity forced them to be separated, tending to their people separately. They had wished to be reunited, but never could a day come to them. Even now, their statues displayed them facing each other, looking slowly down and clasping their hands together in a praying fashion, hoping for the day that they could be together once more.

For a simple game, Nier had to give it to the dev team. They really created an amazing story, even if most people would have opted to just ignore it, in favour of finishing this game and getting out.

"Ahh, our warriors of whom have saved us. You have come," all four heads turned to the source of the voice, who was indeed the purple-haired elf they had met long ago, wearing a fancy purple dress and magenta heels that made her look nothing like the warrior they had been so used to seeing ever since they came here. "How fares you?"

"Fine for now, I suppose," Nier shrugged, distantly thinking about whether or not he should have brought his sword with him. Then again, it was currently in the elven armoury, for safe-keeping. "There's quite a lot of people here."

"Indeed, although this is just the beginning," she turned to where the door was, smiling gently. "More will come."

"Are you serious..? Kizmel, this isn't a huge deal that you have to invite half of all your people to praise us, you know," groaned the young player, getting a chuckle in response.

"On the contrary, it was both the king of the Forest Elves and our queen who wanted to speak with you face-to-face. To thank you for helping our kingdoms," and then she suddenly did a bow, surprising the four humans. "And I as well, for saving us all from destruction. Only the Goddesses know where we could be without your assistances."

"Girl, chill. We just did what we did because we can," he deadpanned, though no one could mistaken the small hint of embarrassment in his tone. "Get up, people are looking."

"I see no reason as to why it matters, but very well," Kizmel the Dark Elf nodded, rising to full height once more. "Tell me, Nier, what are the plans of you and your comrades in the future?"

"Just going to keep on fighting, I suppose," he answered.

"True. We did tell you that we're going to free everyone from this castle," Yuna piped in, trying to sound natural.

It was a story that they had told Kizmel many a night ago, back when they were about to lay siege to a Forest Elf camp in hopes of getting information.

They tried to make sure that, as they told the story about «Aincrad», and how they were forced to play it, they made sure not to include and real-world terms and leave out any concepts that would have made her doubt her own existence—something that Nier strictly asked not to.

So the story went in a way that ten thousand player had been chosen by a grandmaster, namely Kayaba Akihiko, and suddenly trapped in this world through the use of black magic. Ever since then, they had to play his twisted game, trying to escape by battling their way through the countless enemies and make it out.

At first, it sounded skeptical—even to him—but Kizmel soon came to understand it, going so far as to show pity upon them. It was kinda' relieving, to be honest. To know that she wasn't going to push any of them for details.

"I see… And will you ever be visiting our lands again?" Asked the lilac-haired Elf, with what Asuna and Yuna could have thought to be what sounded like a hopeful tone.

"Mmm… I can't say for certain, but when the time comes, I'll make sure to stop by your place," he said with a smile.

His words being more than enough, she responded with her own peaceful smile, perking up as more people came in, which meant that the ceremony was about to begin.

And soon enough, around half an hour later, the sounds of heavy chatter came to a hush, with sounds of trumpets playing from outside of the room. And came in the queen of the Forest Elves and the queen of the Dark Elves, both in their respective regal outfits.

The king was a tall and powerful-looking being, lean and intellectual. He had come here in what could be described as the uniform for some duke during a coronation process, with polished spectacles and grey boots. The queen, with her magnificence alone, had completely frozen the people. Wearing a sparkling golden dress, with her long blue hair and dark skin, she looked almost out of the world.

Both of them were flanked by their respective guards on their sides, before the guards dispersed, taking positions at their designated locations.

"Well, if it isn't the human warrior Nier," the king grinned as his calculating gaze fell upon the boy, before his eyes moved to look at everyone else. "And your little band of warriors. I appreciate that you've come here, really."

"With all due respect, milord, being asked here by you is indeed an honour, so there was no way we could not come," the youngest one shook his head, sounding so professional that his samurai friend almost gaped at him. "Truly, to now that you're blessing us with your presences is already such a blessing."

"Hah, please. We're just the same like you, you know," he looked around him, still smiling. "People who had been blinded by lies and desires, until you came and helped us. For that, you have our eternal gratitudes."

"It is of no problem, milord and milady."

"Indeed."

"We shall always help those in need."

"…U-Uh? Ah, right! What they said!"

All four of the humans gave their own bows, though Nier mentally sighed at the slight blunder his male friend made. Then again, he wasn't going to hold it out against him, so he decided to just drop it.

"So, where shall you be going after this?" This time, it was the queen who asked them, prompting them to rise.

"We shall be leaving for the frontlines. The clearing army will need our help to fight the enemy," Yuna answered in everyone's stead. "It had been a delight to be here, but our absence will certainly do unwell with the soldiers."

"I see… A pity that you couldn't remain here with us," sighed the beautiful elf before she just shook her head. "Nonetheless, that is not what we are here to discuss. Rather, I'd like it for today to be your day. The day for you to celebrate your victory, the peace between our races, and ultimately your day of departure."

"You sure about that? You must've spent a lot to get all of this running," casually remarked Klein before getting a soft jab to the side from Nier. "O-Oh! Of course, I don't mind it, and—"

"Peace, samurai. You'd do well to know that you don't have to necessarily act so tense with us," chuckled the king. "In fact, I've heard of your wish to chat with some of our females, didn't I?"

"Yes please!" Immediately, he jumped at the opportunity, missing the way his three friends were just looking at him in disbelief, unable to say anything before the king just dragged him away, talking about what he liked, and they heard the samurai saying something about 'indescribable beauty'.

They could only hope that the king of the Forest Elves would not turn out to become a womanizer because of their friend.

"Forgive Klein for his… casualness. He's just that kind of guy," sighed Nier as he partially dropped his tone, speaking to Her Highness in a way that would not be deemed disrespectful by the others. She just chuckled back.

"I see not the problem there is. As long as he feels relaxed, then I have no qualms with his behaviour," she said instead. "And all of you should. Enjoy the day."

"And that we shall, by your permission," bowed the young gamer once more, is female companions doing the same thing before they decided to go see whatever dishes the cooks made.

Leaving Nier.

"Oh, come on…" He sighed. "Women and their 'fine palates and cuisines'…"

"I _could_ tell your female friends of what you had just said, you know," cheekily offered Kizmel, who was now standing by his side.

"Please don't. I can only imagine the lectures they would be giving me at the end of the day…" He sighed, not wanting to deal with that. "But how about you, Kizmel? Don't have anything to do?"

*Crash!*

He really didn't want to turn around, just to save his own mentality.

He knew what just happened. He _really_ didn't want to acknowledge it.

"K-Klein! Are you alright?"

"It's fine, Milord..! Didn't think one of the flooring was broken, haha!"

Nier held back the urge to sigh in the open, opting to just keep it in his head. Seriously though, for him to just… Man, is he clumsy.

"Your friend certainly knows no shame. That is quite admirable," laughed the Dark Elf, getting a look that said 'Are you serious' from the boy.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you've seen all sorts of dumb things he's done. Like, how does he somehow end up in a river, get taken away to some faraway place, and somehow find himself trapped in a dungeon?" His right eyebrow twitched, remembering just how troublesome it had been just to save the guy. "It's like he's a walking magnet for all sorts of shenanigans."

"Then again, it does make live a tad bit interesting, doesn't it?" He couldn't deny those words, and her smile made it even harder to disagree.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," he nodded, the corners of his lips having tugged upwards, forming a smile.

* * *

That Night

When the party had gone off for too long, and the wine had been finished—the ever-present reminder that players could not get drunk in the game didn't stop Klein from drinking half of their supply dry, though—Nier and his group retreated to their own home for the night.

Asuna and Yuna had changed into their sleeping wear, sleeping together on the same bed while Klein laid on another bed.

Nier was supposed to be sleeping as well, but the night was so peaceful he just had to be awake to take a look at the city. And it was… calming. It just had that soothing effect that almost lulled him to sleep.

'How much longer..?' He had been thinking since just now, wondering if there was any reason that Kayaba put them here to begin with. 'To test humanity, perhaps?'

If so, then jeez, this was seriously not the best way to do so.

Sighing, the monochromatic-haired child decided to just forget it, knowing that it would be futile to just keep thinking about it.

After some time later, Nier finally left the house, deciding to just take a stroll through the Dark Elves' city, thinking that a good walk would help his mind that was currently wandering through all sorts of topics.

It was cold, safe to say. This sort of temperature in the night, added with the winds that blew most of the time, made him want to buy a coat and pull it around him. Right now, however, he was in nothing more than his simple dress shirt and pants, so there was nothing to change there.

The city itself was silent, like everyone had faded out of existence. A true difference, however, was that they were just asleep. Even so, the streets remained lit up by the street lamps, glowing with a soft yellow hue that made things seem so calm.

Humming a simple tune to himself, he was ready to just go back home until he saw Kizmel, dressed in her usual guards outfit, walking out of a shop, yawning slightly.

"Kizmel?" His voice snapped her to attention, facing him. He jogged over to her, surprised to see her still awake. "What are you up to at this time of the night?"

"Ahh, Nier. I am merely purchasing bread," to prove her point, she held up a bag of bread. "I was hungry."

"Snacking in the middle of the night, right when you're about to go to bed?" He blinked at her statement, producing a weird look. "Seriously? Didn't they say that it's a bad thing?"

"Well, my fellow guards have said that such a thing is fine, as long as you do work to burn off the calories accumulated in your body the very next day," she replied. "In any case, would you mind walking with me?"

"Sure. I've got nothing better to do," he shrugged, following her.

It was some time later before he found himself sitting on a bench beside Kizmel, who was busy admiring the lake in front of them. The moonlight that bounced off of it produced a shimmering beauty that he could not put a finger on, but was extremely beautiful.

They merely sat there, exchanging no words as they enjoyed one another's presence.

Nier, as he sat there, wondered as to how intellectual Kizmel had been programmed to be. She had actual emotions, something which he was sure was not natural. Either that, or that was just a thing, and he was being extremely dumb right now.

Then again, he supposed it made sense, given by how every NPC he had met up to this point had some form of personality that just made them different from one another. A good example was the queen and king, both of whom were royalty that seemed fine with acting casual.

Especially His Highness after today. For that, he'll blame Klein.

"Tell me, Nier, how did you meet your friends before this?" She asked out of the blue, though he didn't jump when she said that.

"Well, when we were first summoned into this world, Yuna had been separated from her friend, so she came with me in hopes of learning how to fight," he explained. "Then I met Klein, who asked me to teach him as well."

He couldn't forget the good old days.

When Yuna would fall onto her butt whenever a boar charged her. Whenever Klein couldn't get the timing of his «Sword Skills» right.

When none of them knew «Sword Art Online» became a death game…

"And then, when we were about to fight against the strongest boss of that area, we met up with Asuna, asked her to join us," he said. "She was alone at the time, so I thought it would be nice to ask her to come with us."

"I see…" She hummed in understanding, turning her face to look at him. "You treasure them so, I can tell."

"Yeah… They accepted me, went out of their way to save me even when I didn't ask for it," he sighed. "I owe them a lot. And I intend to save them, just as they had saved me."

He wasn't going to let them die. He had the power to turn everything in his favour. To change the wheels of fortune, the tides of fate, and ultimately the end of the game.

Everything was going as he hoped it would.

"…You're strong, Nier, I will say that," Kizmel sighed. "But you must understand that there are those that are there to help you. I am one of them."

Her words got a smile out of him, knowing exactly that he could trust her. She was the same person that he had fought alongside during the Elf War, found a friend to confide in…

She was someone he promised himself to protect, no matter what.

"Yeah, I understand," he nodded, turning to look at her, and for a moment… she swore she felt her heart skip a beat. That calm look, that smile of his, the pure acceptance and understanding he had in his eyes. "I'll take you up on that."

For once, she actually felt _alive_.

The next day, however, even without telling anyone, Nier and his group had left.

* * *

Present Time

"I see…" For a moment, the man wanted to just let the topic drop at the partying part, but it was so interesting he couldn't help but let her go on.

"I must admit, it was… saddening to know that he couldn't stay any longer," she sighed. "However, I understand that he had a duty to his people. And I couldn't stop him, even if I wanted to."

And then she turned to the campfire, which she had stroked on her own, cooking some meat the man surprisingly had on him.

"I just pray that he is alive and well," she says so softly, closing her eyes.

It was a brief moment of silence, with the fire's soft crackling being the only noise that permeated in that time and place, before the entity spoke up once more.

"I suppose it's time for me to go," he sighed, standing up. "Nier had gone off to who knows where, and I'm going to have to be there to make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

"Always off to danger, huh?" Chuckled the Dark Elf, smiling lightly.

"Indeed. That's how milord is," the man laughed back. "Well, it was a pleasure to have met you, Kizmel. May our roads meet once more."

And then he turned on his heels, walking away as the midnight wind howled for his departure, before he finally disappeared. That left Kizmel alone.

She dropped her smile, sighing.

Nier, for a genius he is, just doesn't know when to stop worrying others.

'May we meet again…' She prayed both in her mind and heart, clasping her hands in a praying fashion.

None would be able to know that, when such a time would come, that the legendary «Blank» would be walking the earth of the winged ones, his new guild reformed and with her being part of them, her black-purple wings shining and her blade at the ready.

Then, and only then, shall they meet yet again.

Until then, she will wait, unknowing of what was to come to her.

* * *

That Evening—Floor 22: Coral

"Bahamut!" Nier called out, walking to the clearing he remembered his white «Familiar» had gone off to. "I have something to ask you!"

After arriving at the location, he was surprised to see Bahamut there, staring at him with a wary look. Then again, why should he expect anything different, when only a few hours had passed since they last interacted?

Then again, he _could_ hope that it _did_ change. Would make life so much easier for him.

*Ghraa.*

"I wanted to ask you whether you can eat this or not," he began, operating his menu and pulling out a stack of crystals, before placing them on the ground before the wyvern.

The look of surprise on the dragon's face could not be mistaken for anything else, as it stared at the objects before him. These crystals… he knew them. Hell, he goes to the 'West Mountains' to eat them everyday. Wait a minute, did the human really—

"Yes, Bahamut, I did. I went over and got you some," he said in a nonchalant tone. "So, do you eat these or not? I just want to know."

Getting over his previous shock, the dragon just made a growl… before taking one of them and throwing it into his mouth, crunching hard on it and actually swallowing it despite its texture.

"You do? Good. Then I know what you eat," he whistled as he wrote some note in a book, confusing his «Familiar». "From now on, you're going to remain here. If you ever wish for food, you cam just ask me. I already have a lot on me."

Which, to be honest, was not the case when he finished his mining expedition. At best, he managed to come up with only a stack of the thing. However, with his hacking ability, he managed to duplicate the item until he got somewhere around nineteen stacks of the same crystal.

The dragon blinked at him, wondering just what was going on, yet unable to say anything before the human waved at him.

"Well, I'm going back home. Make sure to eat up. Oh, and call me if you need anything else. I'll be in my room as usual," he said, yawning slightly before he walked back to his log cabin.

Bahamut, on the other hand, just snarled slightly in embarrassment… eating every crystal that the boy had gotten him.

And damn it, he got the really good ones too…

* * *

Two Days Later

*Ghraa…*

"N-No can do, Bahamut. I need to to be able to do this," gulped his supposed master as he slowly got onto the dragon's back, peering over him and looking to where the ground was. It felt hundred times more down. "Oookay… I got this, I got this, I got this…"

Apparently, the human wanted to perform a 'test of trust' session, which required him to be flying for this to work.

Sure, it sounded far too good to be true, but let it be known that once Nier decides to do something, he was going to go through with it no matter what.

Such was a fact everyone burned into their minds since day one of this horrendous game. And this time, it was Bahamut's turn to learn.

Standing on a random cliff that both master and dragon managed to find, at an altitude suitable for taking off from, the wyvern momentarily wondered as to why he agreed to do this in the first place, only to remember that if he doesn't, he was only going to get bothered into doing this over and over again until he gets over it.

There was a low rumble from it, akin to a human groan. Such an 'intellectual' descendant of ape can prove to be such ebullient vexations at times.

Then again, saying that to the boy would hold no meaning, seeing that he can't speak human tongue in the first place.

"O-Okay, so can we _please_ take it slow this time? I-I'm not ready for high speed chases yet…" He gulped, holding onto his «Familiar's» neck tightly.

*Grhrrhh…*

"Bahamut, you know that I asked even Shagaru to go slow. This is the first time I'm flying, after all…" He reasoned, knowing for sure that his dragon wanted the opposite of such. "So come on, the sky's waiting for us."

How soft he must have been to actually liaise with the boy. Then again, he _supposed_ it was a fine compensation for the fact that the boy was already supplying him with lunch, ever since two days ago.

Sighing, he extended his wings, giving one short flap before running forwards, and—

*Fwoo!*

With a short leap, the beast was now in the air, flying through the air as it maintained a slow pace, much to the boy's relief.

"Thanks…" Was all he said within that one sigh of his, looking ahead and trying to not feel dizzy or anything. His previous anticipation dwindled with each minute, replaced now with just a fraction of his usual confidence. "Bahamut?"

*Rhha?*

"Try going there," the boy aimed a finger towards where the forests was. "Maintain a good altitude, don't even _think_ of swerving among the trees, and try not to drop me…"

Once more, Bahamut wondered why this human tamed him if he was scared of flying in the first place. Then again, man were always the curious little things, and would go out of their way to do the impractical.

Sighing once more, the beast merely heeded the teenager's words, flying towards the area of which he had been directed to, flying well above the forest at a speed worthy of the 'Slowest Flyer Ever' award.

And yet…

As much as he disliked going slow, for all sake of honesty… This was, surprisingly nice.

*Rhaahh…*

"R-Right? Just taking the time to appreciate the scenery around you is just… nice, isn't it? Just take a good look around you, and absorb every detail."

Well, somewhat was certainly pushing his luck.

But… that's what he did. He shouldn't have listened, but he did.

For once, Bahamut ignored his want to just cause a ruckus or fly around without needing some pest on his back. But he listened.

He, for once, just did as he was told—although, he supposed it was more thaan once, seeing that he even allowed this kid to sit on his back in the first place—and just took in everything. The sight of the lake, the forest, the—wait, what is that smell..?

Soon enough, he could smell honey and nectar in the winds. He heard the chatter of the people in 'Coral' even from this far. The sound of the air-headed Klein shouting like a hooligan as always could even be heard, as he tried to woo some redhead.

He's actually listening to everything, and he's… He felt at _peace_?

It was far too good to be true, but he knew exactly the answer to such a reason.

He didn't need to glance upwards to see the grin on his… _master_ 's face. Or the glimmering expectation in his eyes for more.

Bahamut just decided to go a bit faster.

* * *

Three Weeks Later

Everyone had been surprised at what they were seeing right now. It was crazy! They couldn't believe what was going on!

"What."

"The."

"Fu—"

*Bam!*

"No swearing!" Philia recovered from the shock she initially felt, just in time to give a strong jab to PoH's belly with her fist.

"Ouch!" He fell to his knees, clenching his stomach with a pained look, yet still managing to smile through it all. "Damn it, Fi, take it easy on this old man..!"

"Stop calling me that!" She fumed at him.

"Actually, why _do_ you not like that nickname?" Agil's question was indeed sounding nice, not at all prying. But she couldn't bring herself to answer, which resulted in her shaking her head, strongly at that. "Not saying anything? Alright, alright, I'll drop it."

In any case, what had gotten every member of the «Blank» to gape in shock in the first place… was the sight of Nier pulling out a crystal from his inventory, giving it a good looking-at—just to make sure that it wasn't dusty—before feeding it to a 'chibi' Bahamut.

Yes, you got me right. _Bahamut_.

*Ghhkh…*

"Bahamut, no one's going to make fun of you for looking like this. In fact, I think all of them are amazed at how different you look," Nier replied with a chuckle, aiming his comment at the rest of his guild members, not truly understanding the reason why they looked like that.

*Kyuu!*

*Ghkra.*

" **Indeed. This is the first time that you** **'** **ve ever shrunken like this, so they were just impressed,** **"** Tael added, trying to sound as positive as he could.

" **Yeah** **…** **that,** **"** his sister, however, sounded nothing short of the opposite of assuring.

"In any case, since you got the shrinking process down, do you want to join my room?" He offered, not sounding forceful.

*Ghrr… Rhuaa.*

He was honestly hesitant at first, thinking that it would certainly crush his pride to sleep with the human, only to remember the feeling of a bed for the first time.

It was… heavenly, actually. It was absolutely nothing like he had ever slept on—the ground paled so much in comparison. It made him wish that there had been dragon-sized beds, but he supposed there was no such a thing.

As such, he finally gave in with a nod, deciding to just take the offer.

Anything for a bed.

"Great. Then you'll be sharing the bed with Shagaru," he said. "Make sure not to take up too much space, but get enough for each of you. Shagaru, will you be fine with it?"

*Rhau.*

The 'Gore Magala' made a nod of assent.

"Okay then. Well, we're all fine with it? Great. Now…" Getting off from the dining chair, he patted his coat. "I'm going out for a while. Going to pick up some groceries along the way if I find some. Asuna, I'll leave everyone in your care once again."

"Understood," she nodded at her leader.

"Great. Shagaru, Bahamut, both of you will watch the place while I'm away," he instructed, getting nods from both dragons.

" **Well, we want to come with you, Nier!** **"** Tall suddenly said, springing to life as she flew into the air.

" **Well, where my sister goes, I may as well come,** **"** chuckled the younger brother. **'** **Just to keep her from destroying someone, of course** **…'**

"Yeah, that's cool," the boy appreciated the company, thus allowing the two to stay with him as they left the house.

* * *

Floor 11: Taft

The city was not as busy as it once was. Since so many floors had been opened up to this point, and there of course had been a lot of cities to go to, many others had decided to travel to the other settlements there.

Nier was trying hard to find some shop or market to buy stuff from, but he couldn't find any. Not that the prices were far too much, just that there weren't a lot anymore.

He sighed, wondering just where else would be a good idea to go buy some stuff from.

" **You could always try** **'** **Algade** **'** **,** **"** Tael suggested.

"Nah, the place is way too crowded. Almost wants to suffocate me, I think," he shuddered at the memory of being carried away from the crowd, unable to get back to his friends until after the crowd thinned down.

That place was… scary.

" **Well, it doesn** **'** **t look like this place is going to help, so you might want to decide on a place already,** **"** Tatl said, looking around her in boredom.

"Yeah, I guess I—Hmm?" For a moment there, he would have thought that it was just the trick of the light, but even before he could make a move towards the 'Teleport Gate', something in the distance caught his attention.

It was easy to miss, really. But given by how the boy is far too perceptive to the most minute things in his surroundings…

It was not hard to miss the sight of a woman being dragged into the alleyway.

And the hooded person who had a strong grip over her wrists had a mark at the back of his own wrist.

Specifically, a picture of a coffin, with a drawing of liquid oozing out of the mouth.

"«Bloody Coffin»…" He muttered the name, soft enough that no one could hear him.

" **What? Where?** **"** Immediately, Tatl and Tael perked up, scanning their area in search of the member of the murderous guild.

"They entered an alleyway. Come on," before they could even react, however, Nier had broken into a run towards where he last saw them.

" **Wha** **—** **Nier!** **"**

" **Nier, wait up..!** **"**

The twins flew after their human friend, unable to predict what was to come.

When the «Blank» entered the alley, looking ahead of him with a sword prepared, he had been ready to take down whoever it was inside of there.

However…

It was a fact that, no matter how amazing he was—and that was saying a lot when it came to him—he was still human. And it was no mistake that every man make a slip-up every once in a while.

His inability to keep up with the girls' feelings towards him. His selfish desire to keep everyone safe at the expense of his own wellbeing, which only served to worry everyone else. The sheer risks that he takes.

As a human, he could not account for each and every mistake.

Which was why—

*Thud…* *Splash…*

"Huh?" Nier tried to move forwards, but his feet suddenly felt attached to the ground. Literally, mind you, which prompted him to try to pull his leg out of whatever was, oh. "Oh, crud..!"

"Hey," a voice behind him got him to turn around—

*SNAP.*

Only for a blunt object to strike him squarely in the nose, possibly cracking it in the process and a second one going to the back of his skull, causing him to fall forwards, colliding with the hard, cold ground.

"W-Wha… Huaah…" Before his vision faded, he caught a brief glimpse of the woman from earlier, smirking as she held the mace in her hand, a mark of the «Bloody Coffin» on her shin. "D-Damn…"

He blacked out.

" **What in the world?!** **"** The three members of «Bloody Coffin» caught onto the frightened scream coming from the fairies.

"They're coming with us," one of the members said, and the other just pulled out a bag, a wicked smile crossing his features before he sacked the both of them with ease, shaking them violently a few times for his twisted entertainment.

They've got their target. Now to take him back to base.

* * *

"Hmm… I heard that he was somewhere here, but I don't see him anywhere," Vabel muttered to herself, looking around the town.

She had been told by the entities of the room that Nier was somewhere here at the moment, going around to find some shop to buy groceries from. And yet, the whole time she's been here—a whole half an hour before he got here, which was pretty dutiful of her—she had seen neither hide nor hair of him.

Instinctively, she would have returned to the room and asked them where he was… when the feeling of dread built up in her at what she saw.

Three members of the «Bloody Coffin», a notorious murdering guild, was seen running towards the 'Teleport Gate' of the city… carrying something extremely large.

'That can't be…' Her mind didn't finish its line of thought before her body moved, reaching the players in a fraction of a second.

"Alright, teleport to—" But before the man was able to say anything, he received a powerful blow to the face that would have obliterated all the bones inside there, sending him flying to some wall and causing him to go out cold.

"W-What the f**k?!" The woman screamed, barely able to block the mysterious person's rapier before she got a strong kick to her side, followed up with a few jabs from the rapier that sent the air reeling out of her. "Hruhaa..!"

Finished with a final thrust of the weapon, sending her crashing into the downed man.

She had managed to «Accelerate» in time to reach them, but—

*Piiuuu!*

"What?!" Her ability was only limited to three seconds at most, allowing her to carry out only the littlest of the possible tasks she could. And when the ability went off, she moved at the pace of any other human.

Which was why—

"See ya' later, _not_!" She was unable to stop the final member from leaving the area, the human-sized sack in his arms disappearing along with him.

"NO!" Fear completely washed over her as she tried to follow after them, until a hand stopped her by the shoulder.

"No, Vabel. I'm afraid you can't go," the man said in a worried tone.

"W-What do you mean?! He's going to be killed!" She shouted, trying to get away from him, yet the grip on her was immensely strong, even if it didn't feel like anything.

"I understand, really, I do. I want to save him just as much as you do. However, our writer willed us to stop you. It is now up to the guild of his own to take him back," the man reasoned, knowing that he would need to try harder to dissuade her from going after them.

Unexpectedly, however, she complied, shaking herself to get his hand to drop from her shoulder, looking immensely scared right now.

Who could blame her? The most important person to her had been taken away from her. If she couldn't save him again this time… she was going to lose it.

"Come now, we'll send a message to the «Blank»," he said, quietly creating a door back to their room. "The rest is up to them."

A worried entity and a hesitant Vabel could only hope that they would succeed.


	22. Chapter 20

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts / Emphasis

" _The game is done._ _"_ _-_ Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 20: Show Stopper'`

 _Let it be known that the_ _«_ _Laughing Coffin_ _»_ _, the very same guild once lead by PoH before ultimately deciding to join Nier_ _'_ _s guild, had been in shambles ever since his departure._

 _Many claimed that it was his intention to sabotage the guild from the inside, which had sprouted hopes in many of the red players, until the months had passed and news travelled of his ultimate resignation to the_ _«_ _Blank_ _»_ _._

 _And thus was born the_ _«_ _Bloody Coffin_ _»_ _, in spiteful vengeance for their past leader, lead by his right-hand men, before their ultimately fall at Nier_ _'_ _s hands._

 _ **A/N: Quick spoiler alert, this chapter**_ **may** _ **delve into a bit of torture. Shouldn**_ _ **'**_ _ **t be too graphic, although it does involve needles and eyeballs. So if that**_ _ **'**_ _ **s not your cup of tea, just skip the section. You won**_ _ **'**_ _ **t miss too much about it, I promise.**_

* * *

That Fateful Day

Amongst the infamous guild «Laughing Coffin», three particular individuals stood out.

One of them being their leader, obviously. PoH was feared as a merciless and cold person who would stain his hands with the blood of thousands, all for the sake of his twisted leisure. That, no matter what, he would be in the right, seeing that it was not him who kills the player, but the game of which Kayaba Akihiko has put them in.

Then there was his right-hand men.

Johnny Black, notorious for being extremely snarky and intelligent. Usually the brains of the team, he was well-known for using poisons of all types in battle, giving him the tactical advantage over his prey. None would live to tell the tale of facing him, lest one is truly skilled.

The other one was Red Eyed XaXa, called as such because his skulls mask had red eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. He was cruel, narcissistic even, to the point where no one can truly call him a sane person. He enjoyed killing, and such was how he lived his life in this game.

These three people were feared by every player in the world of «Sword Art Online», having killed so many people, even when they had done no such a mistake or problem towards them.

In any case, XaXa remembered one such particular mission that they had been on, in which they were supposed to get an ex-member of an orange guild to join their own guild.

And yet, the b*tch had the audacity to make due and run off to who knows where, making sure not to leave any trails and get found.

Thankfully, one of their spies had located her, living with the famous girl blacksmith and a «Beast Tamer». Too bad, looks like there was nowhere to run.

And yet, they had unfortunately made a fatal mistake on that day.

They had threatened her, at a time in which the «Blank» had been visiting, so it made sense as to why the spy was coming back home running in a worried manner, honestly scared for his own life. Everyone knows that the little kid is strong as hell.

And wouldn't you know, he actually came to them right after that day, with a little black-haired girl and another one with silver hair following him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, of being graced by the presence of the «Blank» himself?" Their leader, PoH, asked. "Tell me, have I done something to have gained your attention?"

"Your guild has placed a hunt on one of my friends. Her name is Rosalia. Beautiful woman with red hair. You must know her, perhaps?" For a moment there, XaXa wondered as to whether or not he purposely called her that, or was just trying to preserve her esteem.

Beautiful woman… Bah! Beauty plays no role in this game whatsoever.

The boy had come here probably to bargain for her life, in a desperate attempt to keep her away from their radar. He was always like that, after all, constantly going out of his way to keep the people around him safe from danger.

At some point, people had been talking about he always wanted to go fight the bosses alone, just to make sure no one else was in danger. Suicidal idiot.

"I just can't. She's not a sack of Cor, or some rare ingot. She's a person. And every has a worth that far outshines everything else," the boy's response to PoH's deal got shocked looks from the members of the «Laughing Coffin». "I know you won't believe me for such a thing, but that's what I want to stand by."

Johnny Black wondered, for a moment there, if that was how things would have been in the real world… only to remember that such a world was just as unfair as this one.

Slavery, terrorism, death… Those in power resorted to doing nothing while the weak were forced to fight on their legs if they ever want a chance at living. Such was the hierarchy of this godforsaken world, so to Hell with it for all he cared.

So for this boy to be speaking like some 'goody-goody two shoes' politician really got him pissed off.

"If you won't trade for her life, then show me just how much you're willing to defend her," their leader suddenly said, pulling out his sword.

Why? Why was he suddenly challenging him to a duel?

Then again, no one had the balls to tell him otherwise, so they decided to just quiet down.

The battle that came afterwards was indeed very close, with everyone almost thinking that it would have PoH to have won it. And yet, such a thought was indeed short-lived, as Nier overpowered him with that strange «Unique Skill» and his weird-looking sword.

When it was seemingly PoH's turn to retaliate, the boy did pretty well on his end, having reduced the guy's HP all the way to the yellow. Maybe it had been more?

*Ting!*

The timer clicked, signalling the end of the fight. Everyone watched with breathless anticipation—

Nier. The «Blank» _won_.

Everyone could not believe it. It was impossible! How could the most fearsome, most sadistic and most powerful player be defeated by a kid barely in his teenage years?! It was maddening to even think about!

And yet, there stood Nier, helped up by his little two girls and PoH standing on the opposite end of the field, both panting yet the fact still stood.

Their leader had walked over to the boy, saying some things to him before returning to the guild. «Laughing Coffin» were unsure whether or not they would remain safe here, so they turned to evacuation, finding another safe haven.

* * *

That Night

"So, we were thinking whether the «Forest of Wavering Mists» would work," one of the «Laughing Coffin» spies asked, presenting his leader a document.

Without much interest, PoH took it and read it, giving it a skimming through before returning it to the spy, rubbing his face.

"It won't work… I've been there a couple of times, and the place doesn't really have much of a 'secret place'. Best bet we've got there is to hide in the swamps or something," the man shrugged. "Then again, we _could_ try asking for hiding places from the elves."

"No can do, PoH," the man's head turned to the source of the voice. Johnny walked into the room, carrying a large sack of gold in his grip. "Apparently, the «Blank» had done the 'Elf War' campaign, and _apparently_ , he's made an order to the elves to be on the lookout for orange players, and our guild. The nerve!"

"Seriously?" For a moment there, PoH just found amusement in that fact, chortling lightly at it. "Smart kid. Didn't think he'd do something like that, actually."

"Yeah, so we won't be stepping far into the elven territory before we get boned," sighed Johnny before handing the sack of gold to PoH. "Here, Jules found it from some poor player. Had to gut him before he ran off to the safe area."

"Yeah…" PoH, secretly, made a wince at that gruesome statement, actually feeling somewhat sick at his subordinate's words. "Thanks."

When he took the sack, he didn't feel any better.

* * *

After all the discussion had been through, and possibly Nier having reported their location to some information broker—or perhaps to his own, seeing that he had one in his guild already—PoH decided that they would just get some rest.

They'll see to it that they'll think of something next time.

And so, PoH retreated to his room, sighing deeply as he opened the door.

"I'm back…" He said tiredly, noticing the orange hair on the bed adjacent to his own.

"Whoa, you look like crap. What happened to you?" The girl, possibly a teenager, asked in surprise, whistling as she watched him enter the room. "PoH, you didn't get into trouble or anything of the sort, right?"

"Nah, it's nothing…" He just shook his head, throwing himself onto his bed with an 'Oof!'. "I just… had a battle today, Fi."

"Stop calling me that…" Murmured the orange-haired lass in slight chagrin, not looking at him. "I have a name, you know. Philia."

"I know. It's just that Fi sounds cuter for you," chuckled the man, but all he got was a harsh glare from her.

It was, to be honest, quite a weird day when he first met her.

It had started off as him going off into the woods on floor one to go pick up some drops and the like. They'd need all the materials for the poison and medicine they were going to make, so he volunteered himself to do that—there was one guy in the guild who would always come home empty-handed, so he'd rather do it himself than rely on him.

In any case, during his little trip, he met this girl while she was busy walking around town, asking for the whereabouts of Nier.

At first, he assumed that it was just her boyfriend or the like, so he decided not to pry.

However, the moment he actually tried to just walk away from the area, children from the church suddenly surrounded her in a flash—How the hell did that they even do that?!

But what really got him surprised was by how so many players, young and old, too had joined the crowd, talking about him and telling her stuff about him. Like where he was, what he was doing, and a multitude of other things.

He was surprised. This gamer, whoever he was, certainly garnered the people's respect. So how come he's never heard of him?

And so, he came over to the girl, and asked her who this person was…

…Only to receive a blunt jab to the face.

She was screaming at him, words of disbelief coming out from her lips at how he did not know Nier, the single strongest player who had—

Actually, he lost her the moment when she called him the _strongest_ player.

To be honest, it kinda' wounded his pride a bit, but he was more curious than anything, so he offered her a place in his guild.

Of course, telling her that his guild was the most-loathed guild in the game would have definitely changed her mind, but to see her accepting so quickly, going so far as to calling him out for who he really was, surprised him.

And so, he took her under his wing, making her his subordinate in the guild.

She was pretty adept at a lot of work, actually. Treasure hunting was her forte, and no one could deny that her cooking was spot-on—then again, it was mostly saying that her food was good…

When it was indeed tasting like absolute rubbish! Every meat would have been overcooked to the point where it tasted like raw cardboard on the tongue, where the vegetables would have been either too salty or too sweet to even digest, and don't even get him started on the drinks!

So really, all the members feared her cooking, and only said that it tastes great just to avoid the wrath of the orange-haired lass.

Although, something in particular had caught his attention, each time she left the base.

"Have you been helping those lower-levelled noobs again?" He asked, tugging his hands behind his pillow.

"I don't see what's wrong with that," she scoffed, unconsciously playing with her hair.

It had been something that would have been easy to dismiss, if only she had gone out once or twice. And yet, at the end of each week, she was already out of the base, opting to assist those that truly needed help.

It was quite admirable of her, really, but he wondered as to why she was going the extra mile for those losers.

"Why do you even do that in the first place?" He asked, turning his head to look at her.

"…I'm not telling you," Philia just shook her head, ready to change the subject until she saw that look on his face. That purely smug grin. "What?"

"Let me guess, it is a secret lover?" Sure, it wasn't exactly spot-on, but he was sure that it was the case.

"…Hah, as if," he was taken aback by her suddenly lacklustre tone, sounding close to melancholic even. "I'll never get close to him anyways…"

He blinked, watching her body movement and noticing the lack of energy she once had. She sounded morose, nothing like the usual Philia he had gotten used to seeing; the anger, the spirit… Everything that made her _her_ was gone.

At first, he wanted to ask her what the matter was, but she beat him to the punch.

"Nier, the same guy I had been asking about, was the one who taught me that," the girl spoke, surprising him. Really? The same player he met back there? "Back when I met him, he… helped me. Taught me to do things at my own pace, maybe help others, and just enjoy the game."

"Enjoy the game? Hah, the kid's got balls," he laughed, knowing for sure that no one in the game would actually do that. They're too busy trying to survive, after all. "So you want to see him again, to what?"

"To thank him, I guess…" She muttered back, unsure of that answer. "I want to show Nier that I've changed. Because of him, I'm here now."

"You sure look up to the kid," PoH chuckled, fascinated by this strange boy. "Tell me, Fi, do you like him?"

It was a purely jesting question, really. More like to tease her than anything else, since he knows for sure that she gets super sensitive with this sort of question, and was probably going to throw the bed at hi—

"Yes," she answered.

…Well! That's, surprising.

It even got PoH to blink at her in shock, noticing that dreamy smile she had.

Uh-oh.

"I've heard of his exploits, of what he does… He's amazing, through and through," she spoke, smiling until it turned into a scowl. "But those women around him… When I get my hands on them…"

For some reason, he felt a shiver travel down his spine.

That tone of voice… Nier has women around him? Well, it kind of makes sense, seeing that he saw two other girls with the boy back when they first met. But does his guild have other girls in it? And was she jealous? Safe to say that he was currently dealing with a yandere, then.

Hopefully he wouldn't get into this mess. And if he does, he's hoping not to get castrated by his subordinate. She can be pretty scary when it comes to interrogating their hostages.

So much so that they've practically banned her from doing so. XaXa described the torturing sessions as 'pure horror worse than a horror movie'. Just staying there to watch would require the willpower of a fearless dragon.

Then again, dragons would be pissing themselves if they see whatever she's doing to their hostages. _That_ _'_ _s_ how scary she is.

"So, Fi," he called her, getting her attention. "Be completely honest with me. Is what I'm doing right, or do I need a change of pace?"

Of course, he didn't really want to trust her word too much. He believed in himself as the leader of the «Laughing Coffin», the very same man who has planted the seed of poison in the hearts of many. That, no matter what, it was fine to murder anyone, since it was Kayaba's fault.

He wasn't wrong there, was he?

But… just maybe, some things that Nier said back then changed a part of him.

" _I just can_ _'_ _t. She_ _'_ _s not a sack of Cor, or some rare ingot. She_ _'_ _s a person. And every has a worth that far outshines everything else._ _"_

That boy was someone who truly was different. Unlike everyone that he's ever met in his whole life. He valued the life of others, sought to protect them, going so far as to risk his own.

It was already something he had understood when the boy came to him, just to ask him to leave that redhead Rosalia alone. Quite honestly, it was something that deserved respect.

So maybe, just _maybe_ … He was beginning to have second doubts.

"Meh, I don't care," she shrugged.

Well, so much for being helpful.

"But you shouldn't be asking me about that, you know. You need to ask yourself whether or not you're happy," the girl said, turning herself so that her legs could dangle in the air, chest touching the bed. "And I can tell you are."

"Yeah, well…" He rubbed the back of his head, not sure if he should be saying this, but… Ahh, screw it. Not like she was going to kill him. "Remember that I said that I had gone out for a fight, earlier? Thing is, I was actually—"

*Twing!*

He didn't have the chance before a «Throwing Pick» found itself buried in the wall just above him, causing him to sweat bullets at how fast she acted upon his response.

"You. Were fighting _Nier_?" Her tone was dangerous, and that scowl she had seemed so unnatural now. For once, PoH actually felt small. "You… son of a..!"

"W-Wait, wait! I didn't kill him, I swear!" He raised his arms in defense, barely dodging the next five «Throwing Picks». "We had a fair duel, he won, really!"

"Bastard! You tried to kill him!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, searching for her dagger now. "And if I hadn't been there to stop you, you would've just—"

"That's the thing! I couldn't kill him!" He suddenly shouted, getting her to stop.

The momentary pause was more than enough for PoH to just drop the shield he had pulled out of nowhere—for fear that his subordinate will try to stick her knife in his bowels—sighing lightly before falling back onto his bed.

Staring up at the ceiling, he could sense her beginning to relax once more.

"…I don't know. I was going full-out back there, but I just seemed… I don't know. After what he said back there, I just couldn't find it in myself to kill him," he sighed once more, looking at her. "The kid's a weirdo."

*Shing!*

"In a good way!" He quickly added when she drew her knife. "Trust me, I've never met someone as we— _cool_ as he is."

"…Fine," she put away her weapon. _For now_.

"His words… they actually made me think about what I'm doing. Like, whether or not this is right, whether I'm actually losing my humanity, all that junk," he scratched the back of his head, not feeling right in the mind. He wanted sleep, but this talk was far too interesting to let him go. "What do you think, Fi? Is this right?"

Again, she wanted to say that she didn't really care.

But she knew that, unlike before, this was a really serious question, judging by how her leader was missing his usual joking tone. He desperately wanted an answer, something to tell him whether it's really alright or not.

So… she took in a breath.

She thought about the boy she met in the forest, who took her back to town, who gave her a few life lessons that she promised herself to follow to the end of her life, and was the very same person that had liberated many people's lives.

Sure, he discounted them as just him doing a small favour for them all, but what the littlest actions are carry heavy weights. And it seems that, because of him, people were beginning to grow their spirit to fight.

And maybe, just maybe… How the journey of each individual would some find a way to connect, there would certainly be a way that she would meet him, right?

And when that day comes, she wanted to show him that she changed. That she was no longer the weak Takemiya Kotone she had been when she first stepped foot into this world, but rather a stronger person. A gamer who went by the name 'Philia', vowing to break free from this world and help the boy.

And from that alone… She knew what to tell him.

* * *

Five Days Later, Nighttime

"You have got to be kidding me…" Muttered Philia as she pulled the ragged cloak around her, hiding her face in the process. "PoH, tell me you're kidding me."

"I'm not," he shook his head, looking at her with a grin of pure amusement. "We're booking it."

True to his word, the two were currently out of their base on floor one, deciding to leave the place and run off to who knows where. And as such, they decided to do so at night, knowing that everyone would be too busy sleeping to even care or notice.

Idiotically, and somewhat fortunate in their case, the madman had somehow told his guild that tonight was going to be spent to celebrate their achievements and the like, so all of them got all the wine bottles they had stashed away and drank it all and laughed as they danced and all sorts of weird crap.

Philia thought wryly as to how no one would believe her when she says that the «Laughing Coffin» were composed of a bunch of idiots. A bunch of happy-go-f**king-lucky idiots.

In any case, PoH and his subordinate had left the room to go find the location of the «Blank» and—much to her shock—request their leader to join them.

It was unbelievable, she thought her hearing was failing her or something. But nope. When he repeated his statement, coupled with a few 'Hell yeah' and 'I ain't kidding', she knows that he was being serious.

"PoH, the first thing that they're going to do the moment they see you is stab you in the gut," she monotoned at him, wondering just how stupid he can be.

"Okay, first off, I doubt they're _that_ bad. Only you would do that," he shot back, quirking an eyebrow.

She didn't respond. He _was_ right, to be honest.

"And anyways, by how you call him such a nice guy, I bet that he would accept me into the guild," the man shrugged, feeling so certain of his words. "Strength in numbers, am I right?"

"But a lot of people had asked to join his guild before. He doesn't let them in," the orange-haired girl frowned, knowing to an extent that he only allowed those that he has a sort of… connection with to join.

For example, Klein and Yuna were members of his guild from the very beginning as they were his first friends. They knew each other, so of course they would be together. There were others too, though she wasn't too sure about their story.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't one-hundred percent mean he wouldn't let us in," his chuckle was soft, a stark contrast to his usual chortles. "Come on, Fi, we should at least try. You want to be with him as well, right?"

"W-Well, t-that has absolutely nothing to do with you!" Flustered, her outcry did well to feign ignorance, but it betrayed the anger she wanted to show.

"Yeah, I get it. Chill girl," his words were accompanied by the usual tone of cheeriness now, smiling at her without so much of a care.

"And you? What will you do when you join him?" That question took him slightly off-guard, but he needed a jogging through memory lane.

He met with the very same «Blank», a young boy who lead a guild of powerful players, having fought through the game to free the people from their cage of data forged by a madman with a hidden agenda.

The boy who, despite possessing so much loot that it would have been enough to buy just about any house in the game, let alone a person, would not give the money over.

The life of a person was much more valuable than some measly piece of gold, huh..?

How easy it would have been to overlook such a rule, in the midst of cutting down those that opposed him. He wondered if this was how it felt to look back on your sins.

Lost, confused… Maybe added with a bit of worry?

Then again, nothing was going to stay the same. He had to change. Grow up.

For certain, the boy was going through exactly that. His childhood was long past him, now born a strong warrior who lead the respect of many. Heck, Heathcliff even went to say that he lacked some traits that Nier possessed!

And that's when when you know that the kid was a big deal.

What was his past life like? A simple child who wanted nothing more than to be free of society's upbringings? Maybe a boy who had a loving family with him, and wanted to play a game for casual's sake. Or he really was some member of the royal family, having grown up in the arts of—

Actually, no. That last one was stupid. Then again, the kid really does look like a blue-blood at times.

When PoH thought on all of this, putting aside the facts of their backstories and social standings, he wanted to see himself as a gamer who would walk beside the boy.

"I just want to change, I suppose," he finally answered, his subordinate looking at him in the eye with no expression, letting him continue. "It's time I do, really. The real world's waiting for us, so I may as well help the kid."

The world rained that day, the dark knight accompanied by the soft moans of the wind as they travelled across the countless roads and plains.

When PoH and Philia finally got out of there, the girl noticed how her leader looked up to the sky, letting the droplets of water hit his face.

"…So this is rain, huh?" He noted, raising his hand to feel them drop onto his hand. When it hit him, he just smiled sombrely. "Guess I've never really taken time to notice it."

She just stood there, beside him, both sharing the silence that ran over them.

Nier, while having done not much at all, helped both of them to change. And that was more than enough.

* * *

Present, That Night—Unknown Floor: «Bloody Coffin's» Base

*Thud!*

"Gah..!" Nier hacked as he was forcefully tossed into what seemed to be a cell, with iron bars and the lack of windows truly asserting him as their hostage.

Damn, this place smelt like mouldy bread. No one would want to sleep here, and whatnot. Heck, he probably wouldn't want to stay here as well.

"To think that we've actually caught the famous «Blank». Hah… You're really nothing without your little merry band, huh?" Chortled one of the figures, his large size making him all the more intimidating.

"And these two," the other figure said as he held up a bag that contained the fairies, trying hard to break free from the sac as they struggled from in it. "Will be coming with us."

"XaXa and Johnny would want to know about this, that's for sure," another voice before the person just left.

"N-No..!" Desperate to get them back, Nier tried very hard to get up… only to fall back down, unable to do anything as he watched them leave the area. "Ah… Damn it..!"

He made a huge mistake.

* * *

Three Days Later

It had been some time since he had been caught, forced to remain in this room against his will. Despite the fact that he was in a life-threatening situation, he worried more as to what they were going to do with his fairy friends.

The thought kept him up at night, unable to find the peace of sleep as he usually could.

Right now, he was in this small box of cement, which smelt of dead rats and poison. He didn't like it, not one bit, and was uncertain whether or not he should just break out of here already.

He had a plan, to be honest. Activate «Birth From Bytes», thrash this place and retrieve Tatl and Tael and get out of there. If he was lucky, maybe he could screw them over and just beat them all here and now.

However, he knew absolutely nothing about the layouts of this place, so wandering around dumbly would get him nowhere.

And if worst comes to worst, since news would travel quick about his apparent escape, they wouldn't mind putting the fairies into some pain, just to get him to calm down.

No… He was not going to risk the fairies' safety, no matter what.

*Tk. Tk. Tk.*

The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard from a distance, somewhat worrying for the boy.

It wouldn't take long before a towering figure, rivalling Agil in body size, with a scar across his entire face, stared down at him like some pest, the mace attached to his back more than ready to kill.

"Get up and get moving. Boss wants you over," his voice was coarse, rough. If he was right about him, there was a sense of caution as well.

Then again, there was no being wrong in adding a little wary.

"Yeah, okay…" The boy nodded, slow, feeling the shambles around his wrists still very tight and possibly restricting the of blood if this was in the real world.

In any case, the «Blank» walked after the gigantic person, keeping his gaze low to the shadow-casted ground, the sense that there had been no life that walked amongst these corridors. Dead. Just as the people the «Bloody Coffin» had gone after.

The room he came to was dark, only with a small candle on the side of the wall that glowed slightly, giving just the littlest chance of sight.

There was a chair in the middle of the room, with chains attached to the bottom of it. He had a feeling that he was going to be forced to it, and God knows what horrors were waiting for him.

But his attention quickly shifted to the table covered by a large rag of sorts, with a single jar on it. Two beings fluttered about, trying despite how futile their efforts were to break out of there.

'Tatl, Tael…' He winced, feeling somewhat bad for getting them in this mess in the first place.

Soon enough, a new figure came into the room, with scarlet hair that ran just down to their chin. He could tell that whoever this was, was indeed a male, judging by the sharpness of his facial build, since most men tend to have sharper faces than girls—if he wasn't mistaken, of course.

"So, you must be Nier, famed leader of the «Blank». I wasn't expecting to see you here, of all places," he commented, looking at him with a look of bemusement. "Then again, thinking that you could do everything on your own was your own flaw to pay."

Nier, while wanting to come up with a retort, couldn't help but just take it to take it directly. The guy did make a point, after all.

However, he wasn't really thinking about getting out of here right now. All he focused now was to get Tatl and Tael out of there.

Damn it, at his current position, he wouldn't be able to do much. But that didn't mean that he wasn't going to try. He's worked miracles countless of times, so who's to say that it wouldn't work again this time?

'Hah… Let's see how far I can push myself,' he mentally smirked, closely watching the «Bloody Coffin» members' movements.

Right now, they weren't showing too much caution, as they weren't all that worried. As far as he could tell, they were mostly focused on their conversation that they had suddenly been pulled into, fully ignoring the boy.

Glancing slightly to where the fairies were, he closed his eyes, focusing himself to work his hacking skills to the max.

Nier, with a mental command, formed a simple orb of smoke in his inventory, ready to use it at the right moment.

He wouldn't need to worry about getting assaulted, really. His «Battle Heal» skill was going to help him immensely, so nothing would be too scary.

Pulling it out slowly, his hands clumsily trying to grip it from falling to the ground.

And then, he prepared a short knife in his inventory ready to use it as a means of cutting the pouch open and set the fairies free.

"So you think we should send him off to the gallows immediately? Hah. I don't think our bosses would like it," one of the figures scoffed, knowing for sure that it was a bad idea. "Look, Rha's got something in store for the guy, so might as well…"

Actually, Nier had an idea.

One that was certainly going to be immensely painful, stupid, idiotic and every other synonyms. But he thought, meh, why not? At the very least, they'd get some update on how he was doing, even if whatever that was going to happen to him would slightly scare them.

…Actually, now that he thought about it, what _were_ they going to do? Nothing too bad, he hoped.

And so, he formed a 'Record Live Message Crystal', a variant of the 'Record Message Crystal' that supposedly transmits the message it receives live to the receiving end.

For sure, this was going to be a bad idea one way or another, but to him, he thought it was going to help them figure some things out.

Discreetly interrogate them, one way or another, pry some info out of them, and they'd be there to help him… Hopefully.

Crouching slowly, dropping the orb of smoke on the floor before hiding the crystal in between the chair's base and the tile of the floor, Nier picked the sphere once more, mentally creating another crystal and subtly placing it on the chair, surprised that they hadn't noticed that.

"…Here we go," he muttered to himself.

With a slight sigh, he tossed the ball onto the ground hard—

*Shatter!* *Pooooff!*

"W-What the hell?!"

"Argh, damn it…"

The «Bloody Coffins» were than distracted, giving Nier enough time to get to the fairies, cut them out and hand them another crystal.

" **N-Nier!** **"** Tatl whispered out loud, looking at him in indescribable incredulity. **"** **W-What just** **—"**

"Long story short, I got kidnapped," he said. "Tatl, Tael, get back home and get everyone to come here. Keep the crystal on you no matter what, and listen. We're flushing these guys out and sending them straight to the 'Black Iron Palace' when we're done."

" **B-But what about you?** **"** The younger fairy asked, his usual calm slightly gone.

"Don't. Just get moving, it won't last long," he motioned to the smoke, noticing how it was beginning to thin out now. "Get going."

" **B-But..!** **"**

"Guys, I'll be fine. I can't run or fight with my hands like this, you know. Just go."

"… **Damn it** **…"**

Forcing himself to heed his friend's words, the black fairy took off, somehow holding onto the larger crystal and dragging his sister away, quick to break free from the room and away from getting captured once more.

'Well looks like the stage is set,' the «Blank» thought with a look of satisfaction, even when the final thing he felt before he ultimately blanked out, much to his appreciation of ironic puns, was the feeling of a mace bluntly smashing itself into his head. 'The cards are ready… Aren't they?'

* * *

Outside

" **C-Crud** **…"** Tatl and Tael were at a lost of their breaths as they left the facility, noticing the strange lack of life around them.

Aah, a fitting hiding place for a bunch of murderers like them.

This place was dead, literally lacking anything besides dried-up trees and broken splinters. The grounds were like decayed ash, having rotted long before it could even be used. Some of the trees seemed to have _moved_ , even if by an inch, indicating the presence of «Treants».

" **Crap** **…** **What the hell was he thinking?!** **"** Tatl suddenly shouted, her outburst so predictable that her brother didn't respond to it all that much. **"** **H-He just stayed back there?! And for what?! We could** **'** **ve just** **—"**

" **It would be pointless by then,** **"** her brother responded coolly, immediately shutting her down. **"** **Unlike** **«** **Laughing Coffin** **»** **, these guys are much more hardcore. They** **'** **re going to evacuate the moment they feel danger is coming. It** **'** **s why they were much harder to find than the previous guild.** **"**

The moon rose, taking up her throne in the midnight sky.

" **If he runs, they will think that he was going to return with support. To avoid that, they would need to make their escape first, so it was pointless either way,** **"** the black fairy added, moving forwards. **"** **Come on, Nier gave us our missions. We** **…** **We need to carry it out, no matter what.** **"**

" **W-Wha..?** **"** She was absolutely uncertain of what to do anymore. All of this was just too much and… **"** **F**k!** **"**

" **Sister, language.** **"**

" **Shut up, Tael! I don** **'** **t give a crap right now.** **"**

This was bad.

* * *

Three Nights Later—Floor 22: Coral

"You sure you should be doing that? I can just take your queen, you know," PoH snickered, looking smug as he crossed his arms.

"I don't mind, really," easily shrugged Yuna, watching as the man just gave him that victorious look before he just moved his rook forwards. And then… "Checkmate."

"Eh?" Blinking in confusion, PoH looked at the chess board… only to realise that he had accidentally created an open pathway for the songstress to take over his king piece with her rook. "What the hell? You and all the girls are _way_ too good at this…"

"We practiced in our spare time," she shrugged back, her gaze moving to where the window was. "…Nier's not home yet, huh?"

"Jeez, is finding groceries that hard? I could have just gotten it for him with my connections," Agil sighed, putting away some of the weapons he managed to get his hands on into the 'armoury' they had—it was just a large storage chest that kept spare equipment.

"Has he messaged any of—Wait, let me guess… He didn't," the songstress's words was met with nods from everyone, prompting her to sigh. "That boy… he certainly can't get rid of his habit to worry others."

"Well, that's how he is. Might as well get used to it, I guess," laughed the lad's best friend as he took a seat beside Rosalia. "Rose, anything from Nier?"

"Nothing," she shook her head, far too used to him calling her by that nickname. It was… cute, in a way. "Could be on another grand quest as always?"

"That could be the case. He _does_ come back home with some great surprise to tell us at the end of the day," Lisbeth agreed with a bright laugh.

"Still, though, does he like going out on his own? It feels kind of irresponsible of him to do that," pouted Lux as she stroked Bahamut's back, getting the dragon to tense up. "O-Oh! Sorry. I couldn't help myself."

*Grrh…*

Growling slightly, the 'chibi' white dragon just got up from the couch and dropped to the floor, walking away to the kitchen to find some crystals his master had left behind for him to eat.

*Kyuu!*

Immediately, Pina jumped in and took the previous dragon's place, getting a jump out of the silverette. It was only a second later before she relaxed once more, petting the «Little Feathered Dragon».

She does like all the petting, after all.

"Maybe I should go out and check for him. He's probably in some feisty trouble that none of us know about, and is goofing around with some random mob," the information broker of the guild just rubbed the back of her head. "Seriously though, it's as if he _wants_ us to worry about him."

"He's not doing it on purpose. He's just… like that," Strea said, a sad smile on her face. "Then again, we could always—"

"Not going to work. Whenever it comes to him, _nothing_ works…" Asuna reminded, and came upon the massive sigh that they shared as always.

Seriously though, is there literally _no way_ to keep him in check?

Before anyone could even think of a way to do such a thing…

*Slam!*

"Whoa," Nautilus jumped when the door to the living quarters suddenly slammed right open, even before the purple-haired girl could finish her sentence, revealing their fairy friends. "Tatl, Tael?"

First off, that was a really loud sound. Damn, was Tael strong.

And two… is that a 'Record Message Crystal'? Those things were supposedly able to record whatever a person's said, and could be replayed over and over again.

And Tael was carrying it without so much problem—Actually, why were they panting?

" **W-W-We** **'** **ve got bad news!** **"** Everyone immediately quirked up, feeling the hairs on their skin stand to attention. They knew it was something bad when it had to do with Nier's absence, and Tatl stuttering, because everyone knows she _never stutters_.

And God damn it, why the hell had they been so slow?!

The problem lied in the fact that they were unable to use the 'Teleport Gates', considering how any time that they wanted to do so, they always went with Nier as such.

So waiting for the time when players would use it to go to specific floors was difficult.

Well, looks like things were about to happen.

* * *

Unknown Floor—«Bloody Coffin's» Base

 ***Persona 3** **—** **Troubled (Play Song)***

*Clank…*

The locks to the hefty steel door fell apart, the sounds of chains rattling before they finally gave way, allowing whoever it was outside of this cold and dirty room to come in.

It was cold. Nier had been forced to a chair, bound by the arms with chains and rope—for good measure it seems—and left all alone.

The lack of food and water was easy to handle, but the sinking feeling in his gut was scary. It made every fibre of his being rattle, almost as if he was about to die.

And such a possibility was indeed true.

This base, as far as he could tell, was indeed located in an area outside of safe zones, as he managed to hear conversations about someone getting injured during training, almost close to dying no less.

The trepidation in him never left, never dissipated. Anything could be happening to him right now. He may as well have signed his death contract the moment he tried to rescue that woman, who turned out to have been playing bait for him.

Clever move. Added with the usage of tar, which would have undoubtedly limited his movement due to its sticky nature, before being ganged up by three people, was indeed the ultimate equation to his capture.

He caught wind of their discussion, stating that two of the ones tasked to capture him that day had been taken out, but one still remained long enough to have brought him here.

When the sounds of footsteps came into the room, growing louder in his ears before coming to a stop in front of him, he felt someone fumble with the blindfold that covered his eyes, until it was finally undone.

His head hung low, not daring to look in the eyes of whoever it was that was in front of him.

"Oi, look at me," he said.

Slowly, and with much hesitance mind you—for fear that doing so would potentially get a knife in his gut—he raised his head slightly upwards, staring into the jade eyes of what could have been a teenager. Maybe eighteen. Blonde. Thin. Intimidating, surprisingly enough.

"You know, you've caused us quite a deal…" The teenage «Bloody Coffin» member sighed, shaking his head with a nonchalant shrug. "Because of you, our guild has lost its previous fame, and it's now in shambles. Who do we have to blame, huh?"

The «Blank» remained silent, knowing that saying something would just anger him.

Unfortunately, the lack of words seemed to have the same effect.

"Oi, I'm talking to you, damn it!" He spat as he kicked their hostage in the stomach, sending him to the ground and forcing a part of his health to decrease. Luckily, his «Battle Heal» skill managed to heal himself back, but the pain was real. "Tch… Always playing cool, even when you're in danger, eh you snotty little brat? Well, not for long… You, brat, get him up again."

Nier could hear a hesitant whimper coming from behind him, before small hands attempted to lift him up, helping him back to his chair.

"…I'm so sorry…" It was a girl's voice. And it made Nier seething to know that this girl was only a _child_!

"Hey twat, I don't remember saying you could speak!" His voice was pure anger, causing the little girl to whimper.

How dare they force her into this..!

"Listen up, asshole. Because of you, we've lost countless men, captured and taken away to 'Black Iron Palace'. We're all going to sh*t because of you, the supposed _hero of_ _«_ _Aincrad_ », he spoke the title in a mocking manner, looking sick. "So here's how we're going to do it."

Slightly pushing the boy's chair a bit backwards, he walked over to where a desk adjacent to the opposite wall was, the very same covered by the large rag.

The blonde pulled down the rag that covered the entire table, revealing many instruments that Nier could only identify if he could get a closer look at.

"I'm going to give you one chance. _One_ chance to just drop it, and leave us all be, or we'll make your life a living hell," his declaration made the girl hiding behind Nier shiver, what sort of possible dangers that might come his way limited only by the imagination. "I'm being magnanimous, kid. Say the word, and we'll forget that this al happened."

"…Where are we?" The boy asked, looking around him without much interest.

"Dodging my question?" The anger built up slowly, but he supposed he could answer his question. Not like there was any way he could even communicate with his guild, right?

Unfortunately for him, and much to Nier's luck, the 'Record Live Message Crystal' was directly transmitting everything inside of this room to the others. Hopefully, they were getting this.

"Floor nineteen, «Hill of the Cross»," he answered.

'Hah. Played you as a fool,' the boy smirked in his mind.

"Now answer me, you piece of sh*t. Will you leave," he asked once more, much more serious this time. "Or are you going to make this so much harder for us?"

"…Do as he says," the girl whispered in his ear.

For a moment there, Nier wanted to to actually agree with him… only to know that the guild was going to constantly threaten people's lives.

What difference would it make if he agreed to his demands? He was no better than a swindling liar.

"You're lying…" The monochromatic-haired gamer spat back, not looking scared, even when the girl behind him gasped in unveiled horror. "You all are… Always have been, and nothing's going to change that for you «Bloody Coffin» scum… Dirt worths more than you blood-stained imbeciles, so to hell with me if I even _think_ of accepting your offer."

Well, Nier thought, that's the first time he's ever sounded _that_ bad.

His words got no response for a moment there, until—

*Bam!*

"Don't be playing games with me, you little sh*t!" He shouted as his fist smashed against the table, feeling like a vein inside him popped. "You're seriously going to be stubborn and choose the hard way?! Fine, we'll do it the _hard_ way!"

With a snap of the fingers, a sound that was so easily produced yet emitting so much dread that Nier honestly could not help but feel threatened at this point, he watched as two other men, albeit wearing cloaks that made them look like cultists, showed up.

Walking over to Nier, they somehow tilted the chair down, forcing Nier to lie vertically as they held him by the shoulders.

Another three entered the room, one each holding his leg and his head. In particular, he noticed them holding his eyelids open, much to his discomfort.

"Well then, asshole, get ready for the pain you would never believe you had ever felt," there was no remorse in his words. It was pure loathe for the «Blank», and he sounded menacing, only helped by the syringe of dark black ink in his hand.

"See if I care," and he really didn't know how much he was going to be handle the incoming pain.

*Skp…*

* * *

" **Jesus!** **"** Morgana, though he sounded like any other cat meowing in fright, was immensely scared right now, witnessing what was potentially the worst type of torture he could even think of.

"… _Hrrhaa..!_ _"_ Even now, he struggled to keep himself calm, his voice shaking and begging to be let out as he felt the metal force itself into his eye, liquid oozing everywhere into his socket. " _Ghuaaa!_ "

"G-God, I can't…" Suguha almost felt like throwing up, wondering how she could still remain watching this. What were they doing?!

" _Yeah, you like this, don_ _'_ _t you..? Don_ _'_ _t worry, it won_ _'_ _t hurt much. Plus, losing your vision is impossible in a game, isn_ _'_ _t it,_ " cackled the madman as he continued to inject more ink, before moving onto the other eye.

" _HYYAAAAH!_ _"_

*R-Rhaaf…*

Shiro had left the room before the procedure had began, already having a bad feeling. Shuvi could only watch the first eye get punctured by the needle before she too lost it, unable to handle the sheer cruelty behind his actions that she ran off to her room, crying.

This… this was how cruel mankind can be.

* * *

"W-What are they doing to him..?" Philia felt all the strength leaving her legs as the crystal continued to play on, producing sounds of screaming and madness that sent everyone's blood cold. "What the hell is going on?!"

"…Scleral tattooing," they heard PoH's words, but they came out cold, dead and scared. "I've seen people do these sort of things. In actuality, it isn't too bad, because they're only injecting the ink into the sclera. Here, however, they're going all in…"

"Y-You can't be serious…" Klein always did have the tendency to joke around in bad situations, just to lift the mood up. But it was no use in this one, where the horrors of such procedures were being demonstrated through the vile acts of these heinous men on their friend, projected from the 'Record Live Message Crystal'.

" _HraAAH!_ " That was him. _Nie_ —

"N-NO! STOP IT!" Yuna screamed as she she closed her ears with both her hands, forcing herself to tune out the sounds of agony. "STOP IT! PLEASE!"

"D-Damn it, we need to stop them…" Being the only one still able to keep his cool besides PoH, though it was admittedly very difficult to do so, Agil was the one to speak up. "We should seriously get going!"

"Jesus, everyone, come on…" The ex-murderer clicked his tongue in chagrin, the only response he got was a few whimpers coming from her, clutching her head and actually _imagining_ him in that room. He sighed, knowing that they weren't going to get things done. "Our guild's in disarray. We're not going to get anywhere."

*RRrrhaa…*

Gaining his attention, however, was Bahamut, who sounded displeased for some reason. Turning to look at the dragon…

Holy sh*t.

He swore that he's seen the dragon pissed before, but this took the cake. He actually looked like the manifestation of death, utterly irked by the unexpected turn of events.

A moment of weakness, «X'rphan» told himself. How, despite his utter behaviour with his cap— _master_ , the teenager still remained stubborn, trying his best to help him.

He was just like that, huh? How strange, he could almost feel like he could relate himself to him.

It wasn't helped by the fact that he had utterly been trying to help him these past few days. And maybe, just maybe… he wanted a chance to redeem himself.

And then these f**kfaces ruined everything. Took his master, his… _friend_ and leader away, and were doing whatever they pleased with him.

Hah… If there was one thing for sure, he knew how to make people's lives difficult. And he was going to show these bastards the new definition to 'trouble'.

*Rhgahaa!*

Even in his 'chibi' form, his roar was powerful, snapping everyone out of their states.

He looked them over, then to Shagaru, giving him a nod, The black dragon returned the gesture, together rushing out of the living quarters and making a break for the 'Teleport Gate'.

"W-Wait a minute! Hold up guys!" Klein called for them, the first one to spring to life and give chase to the beasts.

Tatl and Tael, at once, threw the crystal to the ground, rushing after everyone else.

They didn't know what to do right now, but anything was better than nothing. Their leader was suffering, and they weren't going to leave him be.

 ***Persona 3** **—** **Troubled (End Song)***

* * *

"Hsshaa…" Nier panted as the excruciating pain finally ended, thankful that the pain absorber in the game worked very well. Even so, it didn't fully remove all the pain that he felt, and right now, he wasn't sure what to even think.

He had to close his eyes, able to imagine blood dripping from them right now, although he knew for sure that there is no blood in this game. The guy technically _did_ poke his eyes with a syringe, after all.

"…Tch, you're more stubborn than I thought. And I was sure this was the worst torture I could think of," the blonde took a look at his syringe before ultimately dropping it to the ground. "Damn it, how the hell did—Aargh! Damn it! You, kid, clean this sh*t up! The rest of you, guard his cell! Kill him if he even tries to escape!"

Nodding, the hooded figures followed him, shutting the door and ultimately leaving the teenager alone with the younger girl.

Immediately, once they left, she immediately ran for the cloth on the table, still clean enough to be used. She returned to Nier, whispering to him.

"P-Please keep still. I'll try to clean as much as I could…" She sounded so afraid.

"Yeah, okay," he replied. "Still though, to think that this game has syringes… Since when were those implemented into the game? I don't remember them being present."

"T-They came some time in May," she answered, wiping away his eyes, trying to be as gentle as she could so to not hurt him.

"I see… Well, I suppose I'll craft some. Maybe I could make some potions or something," he noted, feeling the cloth touch a particularly painful part, causing him to wince. "Oww…"

"S-Sorry..!" Immediately, she took note of that area, making sure not to accidentally touch it again.

'Well, damn. All I wanted to do was get some groceries and see what Asuna and Yuna could make us for dinner. Is that so much to ask?' He sighed in his mind, ever the carefree fool and thinking what they were doing.

* * *

"S-So… Where do we go, first of all?" Asuna tried hard to stay strong, but given by how she had been screaming the entire time they listened to the broadcast, it was a given that she was immensely scared right now.

"Girl, chill. Jesus…" PoH let out his overdramatic sigh as he shook his head. "I'm previously a «Laughing Coffin», and I know how they function. If they can't get info out of their victims, they're going to leave them alive and try again another time."

"T-They're going to do worse things to Nier..?! No!" Yui, like everyone else, felt her blood drain from her system.

"Shush, girl. Whatever they want from him, nothing's going to work. I can promise you that much," he scoffed. "In any case, since all of you were probably too busy screaming to the point where you forget whatever they said, he's—"

"H-Hey! Don't try to put the blame on us this time!" Lisbeth cried out with a shaky voice, jabbing a finger in his chest. "T-They were doing horrible things to him, and we couldn't help him!"

"Uhh, loose screw, Liz? Of course we couldn't help him. We're here and he's there," he snorted in response, shutting her argument down immediately. "Whatever. In any case, he managed to get some info out of those assholes. They're on floor nineteen, 'Hill of the Cross'."

"We s-should get going then," Nautilus stuttered, knowing just how much of an effect this had on his childhood friend. She looked horrible, ghostly even.

"Agreed," nodded the ex-murderer, taking charge as everyone else were still pretty shaken up. 'Hang on, leader. We're on the way.'

"…I've kept my eyes closed for a really long time now. Can I open them already?" Nier asked, sounding uncertain.

"I-I'm not sure. It would hurt, though…" She whispered back.

"Better trying than nothing, I suppose…" And with a gulp, he slowly peeked his eyes open, blinking once, and then again, and again, until shutting them. And quickly, he opened them in one swift motion.

* * *

It seemed that the pain had quickly died down already.

"I can still see? Huh, that's interesting," he looked around him, confused as to how that worked. Putting ink in the eye should supposedly destroy the optical organ, and… actually, that didn't matter right now. "Okay then… Time to do this… «Birth From Bytes»!"

Activating his «Unique Skill», his body surged with energy and strength. He immediately shook his body, tossing it to the left and right in his current bindings as he struggled to break free from his cage.

"I-It's not going to work! They tied it extremely—" But before she managed to dissuade him from going further..!

*Clank!* *Shatter!*

The chains and rope shattered and tore apart, allowing him to break loose and falling to the cold ground, deactivating his «Unique Skill» immediately. He panted slightly, seeing his bindings were immediately disintegrating into polygons.

"W-Well, that worked," he panted, still feeling sorely tired from the whole ordeal. "Dang… What did they do to me?"

"T-The ink must have some sort of tiring effect, or something," the little girl spoke, trying to help him up. "O-Oh dear…"

"What's wrong..?" He asked, looking at her, only for her to turn her head away.

"S-Sorry. It's just… you look different," she gestured to where her eyes were, immediately getting Nier to pull out the pocket mirror everyone got on the first day and take a look at himself.

It was certainly something that would have come out of a horror story. It was strange, but for some inexplicable reason, his pupils had turned blood red, and the entire iris was black as night.

Oh dang, this would seriously creep people out…

"Child," he called her, getting her attention. "Find someplace to hide…"

Operating his menu quickly, he pulled out a light yet powerful dagger, made at the request to Lisbeth after he was interested in using the weapon.

"And if anyone comes to you, don't hold back," he said, dropping the weapon into her shaking hands.

"B-But you—"

"Just go…"

He didn't give her time to even form a counterargument before he walked to the door, feeling the strong shackles around it.

For sure, this was going to suck.

"…«Birth From Bytes»!" Activating the skill once more, he exerted all his energy into a form of an attack, releasing all the power at the door and causing it to bend. Another strike sent it crashing into the opposite wall, shattering into polygons along with the shackles. "Now go."

She didn't even give him a sound of affirmation before she ran down the corridor to the right, off to who knows where.

He trusted her to be safe. There was no way she would be getting into trouble again.

Pulling out «Binary», he walked to the left, making very sure that he wasn't going to get caught again. It would seriously suck if it happens again.

* * *

A New Virtual World

"The stage has been set," murmured the strange entity, his existence a classified secret to the other human beings—the _real_ ones, that is, compared to this strange being that existed for the sole purpose of that unknown.

" **Indeed. This part of the story is coming to a close,** **"** nodded the dragon. **"** **It seems the time to begin the new chapters is close. The** **'** **Protagonists** **'** **shall be reborn.** **"**

"And that, they must," the man nodded. For their upcoming destinies shall forever be that so different from whence they had originally started out.

Pulling out a familiar book, momentarily borrowing it from the 'Protagonist' of this world, he muttered a few words, watching as the countless scrambles flew into the air, turning into light that disintegrated, before the words repaired on the pages.

The cycle of death and life was now rewritten, and the phase for change had begun.

It would only be a matter of time before fiction took a turn for an alternation, and such would be a new story to unfold.

* * *

Floor 19: Hill of the Cross

"You know… I kinda' think that we're just not cut out for this sort of crap," remarked one of the guys standing in front of an entrance to some sort of base.

"And I keep telling you, I don't care," sighed the other person, holding his lance weakly as he stifled a yawn. "Look, man, these guys may be a bunch of killers, but at least they're paying us."

"Seriously? I'd rather work at a café than here!"

"And I say no because those places pay less!"

"Then what if we give you more than this place offers?"

Suddenly, the two players turned to the source of the voice, surprised to see a large group of players—Wait a minute, is this the «Blank»?! Hell, it is!

Asuna «The Flash», at the ready with her rapier. The two «Dragons of Aincrad», having been introduced as the «Familiars» of their leader just a few days ago. Yuna the songstress, Klein the samurai-wannabe, and all the other members that made up what could be the most powerful guild in the game. And possibly the most popular guild too.

"Well," blinked the first guy, feeling small right now. "We're screwed."

"Nah, you ain't," Argo, the girl with the whiskers, stepped forwards and tossed the two of them a large sack of Cor, watching as they struggled to catch it. "Nier's told us strictly not ta' kill, so ya' boys better get moving."

Feeling as if this was some weird joke, the both of them turned to each other, then looked back at the guild.

"Are you serious?! This is a lot you're giving us!" The one with the spear blurted out, his surprise understandable.

"Don't worry about it! We've got _way_ more in our vaults," Klein reassured them with a thumbs-up. "Now then, we're going through, thank you very much."

The two parted a way for the guild to enter the base, not caring at all that they were basically dropping their jobs. With this much money on them, they were basically millionaires!

And as those two cheered at the sudden luck that befell them, the guild pressed on, ready to save their leader.

Hopefully they'd get there in time…

* * *

"Crud… Hahh…" Nier coughed as he dragged the body away into a spare room, barely able to drag the heavy bedsheets onto the unconscious man before he took a hiding stance.

That was a _really_ close call. Had he been any slower, some member of the player-killing guild would have found him and ran off to alert the others.

For now, he was safe… but it would only be a matter of time that they'd find his previous room empty.

Then the search would be on.

"Uuurgh… Can't I recover from this already..?" He was still tired, a testament to the horrible effects of this strange ink in his eyes. If this was going to continue even until the end of this battle, it would seriously be a large burden.

Sighing, he got to calculating several things in his mind.

For one, with his current state, would he be able to fight? Hah, he'd think not, seeing that he was already having trouble with just this one guy. The only reason he managed to knock him out was because he had pulled out a mace at the very last second, giving him a good bonk on the hand.

Two, he would probably be unable to recover from this 'debuff' unless he could get rid of this… dang, it was actually pretty annoying, really. Not only did he look like a stuff out of horror novels, he wouldn't be able to use «Birth From Bytes» too much, unless he wanted to spend his remaining reserves of energy.

And that would seriously leave him in a position to die.

Then again… he _does_ have the ability to use «Null: Damage». Although, it would seriously raise suspicion if he were using that. Plus, it would kind of kill the excitement.

"Even now…" He chuckled as he leaned against the wall, thinking about his current predicament. "I'm still worried about excitement, and not my own life..? Maybe I should get myself checked…"

Then again, it wasn't like anyone could berate him for doing as such. His life, his choices.

Slowly, he recovered from his tire, even if a bit, and got up. Peeking a glance over the frame of the door, he noticed the lack of people, something he was both hoping and dreading about.

Sure, they may not be here _now_ , but wait until they come in a horde, and he's screwed.

"Maybe I can push through with «Birth From Bytes», cloak myself in smoke," he still had some of the smoke orbs from earlier, after all. "Whatever… For now, I'll just try to get a map of this area."

Because, as much as his in-game map would have helped him at this rate, he was honestly getting nothing. This was going to suck, he knew for sure…

"There he is!" Nier perked up, staring in horror behind him when he noticed a group of three «Bloody Coffin» members screaming at him, pulling out their weapons. "Boss wants him alive, so try not to kill him!"

'Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me..!' Inwardly gulping, Nier forced his legs to move, running down the corridor and away from the incoming danger.

"Oh shoot, he's getting away!"

"Come on, let's—"

*Bam!*

The sound of something slamming itself into the back of the head could be heard, sending one of the three out cold. The other two turned, only to be met with the blunt hilt of the katana to the skull, knocking them out as well.

Then, without so much difficulty, they were dragged into the room the previous guy that Nier dealt with was hidden in.

"…Finally," the girl sighed as she briefly took off her mask, looking to where Nier ran off.

' _Remember, you mustn_ _'_ _t allow him to communicate with you directly. You are to only defend him from the shadows,_ ' the human entity spoke to her from the dark room. ' _And try not to kill them, alright?_ '

"I know that. He wouldn't do that, after all," she nodded, rushing after the boy, but making sure to keep a fair distance away from him.

With Nier, however, he had managed to get quite far from where the previous killers were, panting as he held the side of his head with his hand. For some reason, he couldn't hear them anymore.

Did they give up already? Because if so, that was pretty strange.

No matter. He wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so he was going to take this opportunity to find some sort of room with a map or something like that. Just to get out of here, of course.

«Binary» still in his grip, he walked over to one intersection of roads, deciding to continue straight. The growing intensity of light must mean that he was slowly getting closer to some gathering hall, which would mean that all the members were currently there…

'Bingo,' he grinned as he eyed his surroundings, finding himself in a very large room where many of the player-killing guild members were sitting around, chatting with each other, completely oblivious to the fact that their hostage had just broken free of his room.

For sure, this must be one of the main chambers.

Knowing that he practically _could_ try to take them all on, his tired mind said otherwise, opting to just find a way to get out of here.

And really, he wanted to think that, in unfavourable situations, he would be blessed with serious luck power, because it was at that moment when a guy with a paper map was just coming over to where he was.

'Now then… to take him out, hide his body and look at the map,' he said in his mind, somewhat worrying about the fact that he was really thinking about _hiding a body_. Is he seriously getting used to this sort of mindset?

Then again, it's not like he's as bad as these guys though.

Waiting for a moment, he watched as the hooded guy with the goggles, unsuspecting of the person hiding in the shadows, walked down the corridor—

*Thud!*

A swift chop to the nape of the neck was more than enough to put him out for good, sending him to the ground. Nier then dragged him off, far away into a miscellaneous room that had no light—way to go, guys…

Taking the map off of his hands, he scanned it briefly, noticing the complex labyrinth that is their base, knowing for sure that he would have gotten lost amongst these corridors had he not found this.

"Now then… Off to the exit I go," he nodded to himself, deciding to take another path, even if slightly longer, than go through the main chamber.

Had he even tried to look back to where he left, he would have noticed a single woman suddenly walking to the centre of the room, and, with her rapier raised—pointedly ignoring the sudden battle cries being shot here and there—she silenced them all with a simple mental command.

Neither their cries nor their attempts to run away worked, as she casted a simple sound-nullifying spell over the room, blocking out all the sound that came from within the main chamber.

And when she left, there would be no one to even speak of her, a simple memory-removing spell washing over them that left them completely at a lost.

* * *

*Shing!*

Klein's katana struck against the enemy player's estoc, before he switched with Nautilus, letting him bash his shield against the player and sending him down to the ground, before Lux came in and tied him up quickly with rope.

"You know, you _still_ haven't told us where you got all the rope, Argo," Klein spoke, seeing Sachi tackle another player to the ground, helped by Rosalia and Silica. "Like seriously!"

"Ehh, I don't think it's all that important," she shrugged, looking ahead. "This place sure is dark…"

"As to be expected of my old guild," PoH at the front said, pulling out his deadly «Mate Chopper». "I did say that it would help in the case of an attack."

Quickly, two more players arrived, rushing the «Blank». Their ex-leader mercilessly cut them down with his weapon, leaving just a bit of force off from depleting their health bars to red.

Philia got to work, binding them with some rope and letting Agil control them, both of them struggling futilely against his strong grips over them.

"Come on, we don't got all day," the oldest person there ran ahead, the rest of the guild following after him, his subordinate beside him. "Fi, back me up. We're going to be coming to a main chamber."

"Yeah, got it," she nodded, pulling out her dagger and ready to fight. "Eh?"

Only for all of them to stop at the sight of all the paralysed players on the ground, producing no sounds despite looking like they were screaming with all their might.

"Well, this is something," blinked Asuna.

"Did Nier do this?" Yui thought as she crouched, looking at the people. They eyed her, looking like they were going to kill her, but unable to do anything.

Meanwhile, Nier was busy going around the corridors, for some reason feeling as if the place was _way_ too quiet now. Did they go to sleep already? Because if so, he only left the main chamber earlier after… twenty minutes.

That shouldn't have been enough for them to have already gone to sleep already. Or something…

"…heard that he's escaped," Nier perked up at the familiar voice booming from another room, the voice belonging to the same blonde that tortured him earlier. "Damn it… Can't believe he got away..!"

"Quiet, Rayzark. We only need to focus on his capture for now. His guild could be knocking on our door at any moment," another voice, this one belonging to a woman, sighed with indignation, not knowing that the guild in question were already inside of their base. "Look, for now, just find their leader."

"Yeah, you got it," the now-named Rayzark replied, walking out of the room.

The monochromatic-haired player watched from the side, watched as a blue-haired girl followed after the blond, a scimitar and shield equipped.

Sighing when they finally left, he almost jumped when the familiar message notification sound rung in front of him.

Tapping on the message, he was visibly surprised to know that his friends were now inside the base, and were waiting for him at the previous area, where he last saw that large group of players.

He wondered whether or not they had taken care of all the members of the red guild there, not knowing of the fact that someone else had done so before he could.

Still… a feeling that something important was inside of the room of which this Rayzark fellow and the other woman had just left lingered in his mind, prompting him to sneak into the room.

Inside, it was just covered to the brim with a number of books, stacks of tapestry and documents littered everywhere on the ground. The walls had paper stuck to them, with pictures of a strange blur on each picture, each of the pictures taken at different locations using 'Record Crystals'. The other shelves around the room held 'Healing Crystals', which he took immediately, knowing that it would prove to be useful at a later time.

When he felt that he had taken everything, he left the room, equipping himself with «Binary» once more and stumbling back to the main chamber.

Things went relatively well, he'd think. Some of the surviving members couldn't stop him as he ran, with him noticing how they mysteriously disappeared each time he turned around. To be honest, it kinda' unnerved him, but he didn't really care about them.

A bit more of a travel, sending his friends a message to let them know that he was indeed doing fine, he soon reached the same main chamber, seeing all the players paralyzed and his friends gasping when they saw him.

"N-Nier! You're alright!" Happily shouted Yui as she ran at him, tackling him with a hug.

"Oof… Calm down, Yui, I'm fine…" He chuckled, noticing PoH getting close to him. "Hey."

"Sup'," the man nodded back.

And when the boy thought that he was just here to greet him and whatnot… he didn't expect the man to suddenly put a strong grip on his shoulder, push him to his left and parry an arrow aimed for the boy's head.

The man just sighed, feeling somewhat responsible for this.

"W-What?" Nier blinked, staring behind him… only to see Rayzark there, a bow in his hands, with the woman from earlier, and the other two corridors that were connected to either side of this chamber filling with other members of «Bloody Coffin».

"Well, aren't you screwed?" Sneered the blond before his gaze moved to his ex-leader, facial expression hardening. "Damn it, PoH… We thought that you left that night to get something, but I didn't think you'd be joining that idiot."

"I just needed a change of pace," shrugged the man. "In any case, who took over after I left?"

"XaXa and Johnny Black did," the blue-haired lady answered, wielding her scimitar. "So you came back, and to help free the child?"

"I'm a teenager, guys. Don't mind my looks," sighed the person in question.

"Yup. And really, I hope you guys don't have any hard feelings about this. It's my own choice, I'm a grown man, so all of you should respect my decision," the man said, flicking his deadly weapon in his hand once before producing a maniacal grin, cracking his left middle finger with his thumb. "Or I may have to put you down for good."

"PoH…"

"Okay, okay. I was just kidding, you know…"

"When it comes to you, your 'kidding' can be a lie sometimes."

"Oi, Fi! Whose side are you on?!"

"Nier's."

"Ouch… Then again, Nier's got _everyone_ on his side," Klein chuckled, watching as their oldest member just cry in response.

"Damn it… I didn't want to do this, but," sucking in a deep breath, Rayzark let out a loud scream. "Kill their leader! Kill them all! I don't care how you'll do it, but they _will_ be dead at the end of the day!"

"Hmph. Looks like the nice way's out of question," huffed Philia, watching her crush rise to both his feet and ready himself. "You sure you can fight, Nier?"

"Don't worry too much about me… Well, I _do_ feel like I woke up after fifty hours of non-stop work, but this isn't so bad that I'm going to _not_ fight," shrugged the leader, sporting a grin. "Come on, the «Bloody Coffin» are here. What better time to stop them than now?"

 ***Mary Skelter** **—** **Skelter (Play Song)***

As if some duel counter clicked in the background, all the members of the player-killing guild shouted as they rushed the opposing guild, each of them ready to make end with their enemies.

Rayzark, having just about enough with the «Blank» constantly ruining their plans, made his way towards the black-white haired player, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Huffing, Nier merely walked forwards, parrying the arrow meant to pierce his heart, before catching a stab at the blond, forcefully kicking him away with whatever energy he had.

Asuna and Yuna both tag-teamed and defeated a multitude of players, trading blows with the enemy and switching with each other. A hooded figure made a beeline for them, his attempt at getting a cut at them with his katana broken by the large shield the gigantic bald man had pulled out of his inventory, slamming all of it at the guy and sending him back.

A generic member of the guild couldn't even go and help a group of his allies from the merciless wrath that is a pissed off blacksmith with pink hair and another girl with whiskers, both fending off their enemies quite well, before the guy received a strong kick to the back.

"And stay out!" Shouted Klein as he spun on his heels, having learnt «Arms Blast» and directly striking at his incoming aggressor's sword hilt, causing the weapon to shatter before he gave a blunt headbutt to the skull, causing the guy to reel backwards.

*Bam!*

And just at the appropriate timing for another person to be sent crashing into him, cutting both their health bars down to a very low level, curtesy of Agil using his «Martial Art» skill.

*Shing!*

"You took everything away from us…" Hissed Rayzark as he forced his cleaver down onto Nier's blade, gritting his teeth. "You sure like to play 'hero', huh?"

"Not my fault you guys want to continue killing people for absolutely no reason, other than for your demented sense of enjoyment and fun," the younger gamer spat, parrying the blonde's weapon and leaping backwards. "«Switch»!"

"Haah!" Philia zipped past him, striking at the bastard with a four-hit combo, ending it with a upper kick to the chin, forcing him to stumble backwards, before someone sniped him down, a paralytic arrow that caused him to drop to the ground.

Sparing a glance to where Lux was, Nier just nodded at where she stood, running off to fight the remaining members of the guild.

*Clank!*

"Chh..!" The woman with blue hair clicked her tongue as her scimitar was blocked by her ex-leader's knife, the latter possessing a look of 'I don't give a sh*t'. "PoH, you don't have to listen to his words! You can join us again, and—"

*Twik!*

Her time spent to negotiate with him was wasted, as he instead planted a needle in her neck, the paralytic poison working its magic immediately and causing her to fall to the ground.

"Sorry, but no can do. My little bud is going to be attracting too much attention, and I need to be there to keep him safe," he said without so much of a care. "Plus, it's kinda' my job as their caretaker. Kids won't be able to watch after themselves, after all."

Shrugging, he ran ahead, striking down another member as he all but ignored their defense, thanks to his weapon.

When the man rushed down another fighter, backhanding the attack of some other guy, his senses gave him the feeling that someone was just about to strike him down, only for such a person to get cut down by a familiar sword, getting paralysed right after.

"You said the ink's tiring you, right? You sure you're good to fight?" He asked in the midst of their fight, spinning on his heels and delivering a foul kick to a guy he—much to his sad acceptance—remembered back in the day, letting Nier deal with the hooded person on his back.

"I… can fight, don't worry," the boy reassured him, feeling the rush of wind against his back. "Huh..?"

*Boom!*

*Grhaaah!*

*RHHAA!*

"Looks like your «Familiars» got pretty miffed," snickered the ex-murderer as he watched the two dragons lay waste upon the countless «Bloody Coffin» members, spewing flames and explosive fire that blew them apart, yet not to the point of killing them.

Just as Nier had taught them, it seems.

"Come on, we've got a bit more," the man spoke with a grin, raising his weapon. "Good to go, leader?"

"You bet I am," the teenager nodded back, feeling something stab him in the back with their sword before he counterattacked, healing himself with a 'Healing Crystal', «Binary» shaking in his grip slightly but still remaining steady. 'Just a bit more…'

 ***Mary Skelter** **—** **Skelter (End Song)***

* * *

It was a long time later, of countless screaming and death cries, echoed by the clashing of their individual blades against one another, before they finally finished with their battle, with zero casualties all around.

It was so unbelievable… but it was a fact to behold, seeing that it was Nier who lead this battle after all.

And what's more so was, despite his serious lack of capability and vigour to really match up to his usual self, the «Blank» had effortlessly handled this entire situation quite well, although the girls couldn't help but worry about him with his eyes—seriously, PoH would have wanted to, but knew that everyone would kill him if he ever called the boy a hellspawn.

For sure, Philia wouldn't mind sending him on a _real trip to Hell_.

And he was later seen helped by his best friend out of the base, with Yui forming some form of crystal—through a direct command to «Cardinal's» system, perhaps—that finally restored his eyes, allowing him to see much, _much_ better than previously, and aforementioned status problem now gone.

So yes, ladies and gentleman. Throughout that entirely unscripted battle scene, which I will admit I am still lacking in, our young 'Protagonist' has finally made it out alive. Huzzah.

Although, now rests the problem of…

*Rhaha…*

"Hmm?" Nier quirked an eyebrow, seeing the usually loud Bahamut suddenly looking at him with worried eyes, getting a look of surprise which soon turned into a soft chuckle. His dragon turned out to be pretty soft, it seems. "Hey, I'm fine now. All's well that ends well."

"Yeah. For you, surprisingly…" Sighed his best friend, though he couldn't hold back his own chuckle from coming. "It's strange, really. You made our job so much easier by paralyzing all those players back in the chamber. You literally stopped, like, fifty guys!"

"What? No, I didn't do it," the boy shook his head, getting a look of surprise from everyone there, suddenly making him feel slightly nervous. "If anything, I thought _you guys_ were the ones that did that to them. I mean, when I got there, they were all on the ground already."

"But that's strange. When _we_ entered their base, they were already… like that…" Yuna's words died in her throat as her eyes widened. "Do you think… someone else was here?"

When she said that, everyone couldn't but feel as if they were being watched, prompting them to look around their surroundings yet finding no one.

It seems that there was a hidden player, one who was manipulating the cards behind the scenes. Then again, with what they've done, Nier _supposed_ it was fine to just let it slide, seeing that they helped them save their leader in the first place.

And Vabel, being the person to have 'mysteriously interjected into their siege', watched as all the members of the «Bloody Coffin» get sent to the 'Black Iron Palace' via a 'Corridor Crystal', before the «Blank» returned home. And she remained watching them, sighing in relief before she too decided to take her leave.

Looks like her job was done.


	23. Chapter 21

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

" _The game is done._ _"_ _-_ Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 21: Step-by-Step Guide to Winning A Girl'`

 _Amongst those that had fought by his side, he treasured his bond with Klein, the samurai-wannabe who had been there by his side even from the very beginning of the game._

 _Any person would have called him a fool. Why wouldn_ _'_ _t they? Unlike the others, he just paled in comparison. He wasn_ _'_ _t necessarily popular, he didn_ _'_ _t have the brains that could come close to any of the others, and he was just really goofy._

 _But where there were flaws, there were those of the good traits. Kind, constantly looking out for others, and his fiery soul knew no such weakness._

 _Nier trusted him with his own life, through thick and thin._

* * *

A Week Later—Floor 22: Coral Village

*Skeaa!* *Grra.* *Hrrh…*

"They really like each other, huh?" Sachi smiled as she watched the three dragons of the guild interact with each other, sounding nice, except Bahamut, who was looking sleepy.

"Yeah, they really do," Lux giggled as well.

"Well, it's natural, I suppose. Though they are not entirely the same, all of us here fight together, and thus our bonds strengthen naturally. I'm not surprised it happened to them as well," Nier came from the kitchen, setting down cups of tea on the table, grinning all the same. "I'm more surprised that Bahamut didn't try to kill the other two."

" **Well, you yourself said that Shagaru** **'** **s stronger than him, so it makes sense why he isn** **'** **t trying to act out of line. Plus, you won** **'** **t allow it, after all,** **"** Tael chuckled, settling himself on the couch's headrest.

It was funny to think about. «X'rphan» was extremely vigorous, not wanting to give up despite the obstacle he faced. That was him, the king of the 'West Mountain', proud dragon of ice and snow. Here, however, now named as Bahamut, he was just… a sleep-loving dragon.

Nier could have almost thought that they'd try to kill each other at this time, but he supposed that with just a few words, almost anything could be true.

After getting back from the mysterious base of the «Bloody Coffin», it was much to Nier's slight chagrin that not all the members had been caught, seeing that their current leaders XaXa and Johnny Black were still at large, meaning that their job wasn't over yet.

Still, that shouldn't be too much of a problem, seeing that their activities had slowed down by an immense amount. Certainly, they were going to have to be much more cautious than ever before if they don't want to get caught.

The bigger issue that Nier _does_ have on his hands, was that he had been trying to look for Klein, who had been missing since this morning.

It started with a note inside his room, stating his wish to go out for a while. Why so, he did not specify. He was fine with it, of course. Klein was a grown man who should be free to do whatever he wished.

However, the worry only started to grow when he's already been away for what felt like three hours, and _no one_ knew where he had been.

Heck, even Argo of all people didn't know where he was!

Despite this, Nier kept calm and decided that waiting for him to return on his own was the best choice, knowing that going out after him would be a bad idea—what if he came back when he left then? That would just be useless.

*Thud!*

His worry instantly died, fortunately, as the man in subject had just opened the door.

When everyone looked at him, however, there was no mistaking the over-dramatically saddened expression he had. Sure, everyone could just say it was him being his usual self, but curiosity was a very infective disease.

And soon enough, Nier found himself opening his lips to speak.

"What happened?" He asked, watching as the man stepped into their living quarters.

"N-Nah… It's nothing, man…" He sighed sadly in response, walking away, with Agil coming into the house next.

"I'm back," he said.

"Agil-san, what happened to Klein-san?" Lux was the next one who asked, wondering whatever was wrong with the man.

"Nothing. It's just that he went to some 'losers' meeting' ceremony, and, well… That's the result there," the man shrugged, leaning against the door frame, groaning. "Seriously though, I can't even…"

" 'Losers' meeting'? Now that's a sad name if I've ever heard one," the boy scoffed. "What was it even about?"

"Dunno'. Just a couple of guys who were complaining about—" The bald man caught his tongue, not saying anything more. "Actually, just forget it."

It would be a bad idea to let it spill

To be honest, the meeting was mostly about some random and single men complaining about the fact that they were left completely single, whilst the most powerful, the most kindest and the most popular person in the game was having a _harem_ around him, even if he _still_ doesn't realise it.

At this point, it's become a running gag for everyone. And the person in question doesn't go out of his way to reprimand them for spreading such a rumour… except it's not a rumour, and he doesn't know about it in the first place.

It was sad, to be honest. Agil was left watching everyone else just pour their heart and soul into their words of lamentation and sorrow. They all turned to him, wondering whether or not he had anything else to add…

Only for him to reveal that he was already married in the real world, and had a beautiful wife of his own, which only made things worse.

Their cries grew louder, all those that were completely unrelated to what was going on looked at the sight with confused looks, and the married man was left sighing as he shook his head, a headache building up.

While he didn't mind sharing this with Nier, there were two girls in the room that liked him, and he knew that revealing this would no doubt be throwing Klein under the bus. How?

'I saw those gags, ropes and batons in Argo's room. I can only imagine how painful it would really be…' He gulped in his mind. "So yeah, nothing much to it really. I'm just hoping Klein would just get over it already."

"Must be pretty affected by it if he really thinks he's a loser, which all of us know is not the case here," the innocent leader of theirs sighed. "Well, let's leave him for awhile. He'll need time."

* * *

It wasn't even an hour later before a motivated Klein literally kicked the door to his room open, so hard that the hinges were probably broken, and trudged down the stairs connecting everyone's rooms to the living room, standing before his leader and best friend before prostrating him in front of the leader.

And everyone still present in the room just looked at him as if he had grown a third head. Heck, even the dragons looked confused.

"Nier-sama! Teach me how to win a woman's heart!" He practically yelled, not at all caring that there were others in that room.

In that small instance, Nier was no longer restraining himself from deadpanning at the sight. Seriously? _Him_? Teaching Klein the ways of love? If there's one thing for sure, he didn't understand the heart and the emotions very well, so such a request was practically impossible.

Of course, Klein should go to some other gal, but the only other person who's actually well-versed in these type of things was probably was, surprisingly enough, Argo. But one thing he's learned is to never approach a girl for personal matters such as _this_.

Plus, she made for a pretty terrible teacher when it comes to these sort of things. She'd tease the hell out of anyone with gusto.

Then there was the problem of the 'losers' meeting'. Clearly, the reason why he felt so downtrodden earlier, leading up to this sudden request, was probably because of said meeting.

What even happened back there?

It was only a good moment later before the boy actually answered his friend.

"Dude. You know I'm bad with romance, right?" Nier spoke with a monotonous tone, not even trying to hide the fact that he was just at a lost for it.

"Liar!" The samurai rose his head to meet his leader's gaze, still stubborn yet determined. "You have been winning the hearts of women ever since you entered this game! Please, teach me your ways!"

Oh God, Nier thought. How he absolutely loathed _the ways_ , rumoured to be his strange ability to capture the hearts of women around him, which started to circulate ever since Sachi joined his guild, years ago.

It was terrible, it was strange, and it was ultimately stupid.

"First and foremost, no. I don't think so," he shook his head, crossing his arms. "One thing for sure, I have no idea what you're even talking about. Ever since I entered this game? I highly doubt it. You and Yuna have been by my side since the beginning, and you very well know that nothing's happened the entire time."

'That's what _you_ think…' Everyone else shared the same thoughts in response to his words.

"And second, seriously? Dude, you're an adult, you should be able to think it out. I'm just some teenager who's never had to deal with girls his whole life, I think," there was a moment of silence, before he continued. "Even if I _do_ have a girlfriend, everyone's methods are different. You need to take your own approach if you're really serious about this."

"Aww, come on man… You've got to know something, right?" He stood up, sounding pleading at this point.

"Can't help you on this one. I've never once spoken to a girl, let alone played an eroge or a dating simulator my entire life, so I have no idea," he shook his head once more, standing up and ready to just leave for his own room—and maybe see what his fairy friends were up to—when Klein suddenly dropped to the ground and caught his leg. "H-Hey! The heck, man!"

"Please, sensei! I beg of you!" He was crying, comical tears streaming down his face as he refused to let go of his friend's leg. "Please!"

"Dude! I can't help you! And even if I could, like I said, my method would probably not work for you!" The boy retorted, trying to drag Klein along in hopes of losing him, yet he remained latched onto his leg, like some form of parasite. "Dang it, let go!"

"No! Not until you teach me your sagely arts!" The man shouted once more.

"Oh, this is getting old…" A snap of his fingers, got both his «Familiars'» attention. "Shagaru, Bahamut, if you'd please."

*Grhaa!*

Both dragons, shrunken down to the size of Pina, were still immensely powerful, yet proved to be making no progress despite pulling Kline by the legs, desperately trying to get him off of their master.

This only meant that whatever grip he's got on Nier was _really_ strong. Even the boy was surprised he hadn't pulled his leg off at this moment.

It was only a minute later before Agil finally decided to cut this event short, coughing loudly into his fist to get everyone's attention onto him.

"Okay. If you're seriously not letting Nier go, how about we just go at this at a slow pace?" He suggested, and immediately got two separate reactions—a hopeful gasp from Klein and a look of stupor from Nier.

"Are you serious?! You can't be serious!" He would have felt his jaw drop if he wasn't talking at that moment.

"I am one-hundred percent positively serious," the man nodded back, any hints of jesting not being shown at all in his body language.

"What, b-but, then he's—You're serious!" He cried out, the girls in the room giggling at the sight of their dumbfounded leader.

Sooner or later, a terrible headache would build at the front of his mind, and there would be no stopping it.

"But before we begin," his gaze turned to Sachi and Lux, who both flinched under his hawk-like gaze. "I need the both of you to leave this room. And call Nautilus. You too, Pina."

"O-Okay, / R-Right…" Both girls nodded, leaving the living quarters.

*Skeaa!*

Obedient as ever, the little dragoness took off in search of her master.

Nier, sitting once more on the couch, had half a mind to deal with the painful headache, and the other half to tune out the sounds of the samurai crying words of thanks at a reluctant merchant, his dragons just watching on with amusement.

Seriously, they were going to defeat «The Gleaming Eyes» in a week or so, and he had to deal with _this_?! Come on, man…

* * *

Three Minutes Later

"I'm here," Nautilus greeted as he stepped into the living room of the living quarters, noticing the presence of the other males of the guild. Even PoH was there. "What's this? An all-men's meeting, perhaps?"

"Something like that. Sit down," Agil instructed, with the younger member nodding. He took a seat beside the ex-red player, who was busy trying to read some interesting book.

With everyone present, he cleared his throat.

"As only Nier, Klein and I know," his gaze turned to the dragons next. "And Bahamut and Shagaru does as well, Klein is facing a dilemma that requires our specific attention. And by ours, I am excluding the women."

"Oh yeah, good idea. You never know how a girl's going to help in a man's problem," PoH nodded, shutting his good book. "So, humour us. What's up with you?"

"I want a girlfriend…" He admitted, and if those two were drinking something, they would have surely done a spit-take.

Both PoH and Nautilus looked to be as if they were choking on virtual air, completely taken aback by his sudden declaration that they needed to calm themselves down first before the former had the chance to speak again.

"Seriously?! Damn, that's something!" He coughed once more, making sure that he was fine this time. "So hey, what brought this up? You weren't that entirely focused before this."

"It's just… I've had an awakening," Nier almost snorted at that, but managed to remain silent, instead opting to just listen to his friend. "And I've realised that it's all that I want. I know it's utterly stupid, and—"

"Say no more, my good friend. I absolutely understand what you mean," PoH brought up his hand to stop his friend from continuing. "I had a girlfriend once, and when she left me, I actually felt pain. Love is something we all need, and we'll regret if we don't actually seek out a beautiful lady to love."

"Klein was always flirting with girls, but never got an answer."

"Hey!"

"You had a girlfriend? What happened?" The previous member of the «Knights of Blood» asked, curious.

"She and I had an argument, I guess. She accused me of going out to f**k some other stranger in some random stripper club, but really, all I've been doing is playing some random 'Nerve Gear' games," he shrugged in response. "Probably blackmail, maybe something else."

"O-Oh. I see. Sorry for asking…" The boy felt his previous interest deflate, only for it to turn into surprise when he waved off his concern.

"Nah, it's fine. Trust me, I'm better off without her anyways. All she's been doing is sneaking off to her _real_ boyfriend behind my back. And she had the gall to ask for my wallet," the guy scoffed, not at all pissed off as everyone would have thought he would be. "In any case, the problem here is not me. Klein, my man, we need to start off with who you've got in mind."

"W-Who I have in mind?" The samurai gulped, sounding embarrassed.

"Of course, you could always go for some random milkmaid that you may want to bust your nut to," and he was delivered a swift jab to his shoulder from an overly-embarrassed Nautilus, with Nier's ears being swiftly covered by Agil, the former wondering what the man said. "Oh, right. Sorry about that. But anyways, I think it's better to go for someone you're more closer to."

"More closer to _how_ , exactly? The only friends I do have, that I've known all my life is the ones from «Fuurinkazan»," he said, confused. "And of course, you guys."

"What I mean by _closer to_ is that you're always close to them. How to say this… Whenever you see them often, think of it just as that. The more you see them, the closer you guys get, thus the stronger the chance of you getting hooked," he explained, sounding like some love doctor all of a sudden.

And a surprisingly good one, at that.

"That psychological thinking… Isn't that referred to as propinquity?" Nier thought, tilting his head in surprise.

"Ah-ha! Looks like you do know a thing or two to love!" PoH snickered. "So yeah. You can't just choose some random girl. Choosing someone among our guild is the best bet you have, mate."

"Uurgh, I can't believe I'm here, of all places…" The boy groaned in his hands.

His words elicited a hum from the maroon-haired man, entering a thoughtful look. He was right, apparently. Knowing his friends from a really early time, and being with them for a long time, eventually increased the trust in each other.

Enough interaction would surely get the girl to actually like her. Damn, this is going to help.

"So… Any suggestions?" The guy literally brought that up out of the blue, and earned himself a soft chop to the head, which was enough to send him reeling backwards. "W-What?!"

"You can't seriously be asking us to tell you who you want to fall in love," Nier had somehow been quick enough to deliver the chop, finally scoffing. "You should be the one deciding that."

"Me? Huh, okay…" He fell back into the couch where Nier had been sitting on earlier, much to the boy's slight chagrin. "So… I need to choose who I want to fall in love with?"

"Obviously. If we choose for you, you may not be satisfied. Just like how they always say in the movies, you need to be the one to choose your own fate. But in this case, your own love interest," his explanation instilled a sense of confidence in the man, his words of wisdom as amazing as ever.

And he said he doesn't know romance.

It was a hard decision, really. Most girls in the guild were head over heels with Nier, looking at him with hearts in their eyes—obviously a metaphor there. So to pick a girl to actually devote his life to was going to be extremely hard.

In fact, outside of their little guild, there was no other girls that he actually felt a connection with. So that really does limit him to just the guild, huh..?

Though it felt like a year and a half for the man to finally pick an answer, his gasp of shock came full throttle in not even a minute later, surprising the other males of the group.

He turned to them, having found his answer.

Plus, he always had been wanting to go after her, so this was the ultimate choice.

* * *

"I'm not sure whether to say if this is a bad idea or not," and Nier swore that standing outside here, peeping over the edge of the wall to watch his friend run off to a certain woman, was an even worse idea. "But who am I to judge?"

"A pretty bad idea, I know. He'd better not go up to her and literally scream 'Be my girl!' or something," PoH commented, with Agil and Nautilus just beside him, looking as well.

"Ooh… Klein-san is really doing it. I'd probably just chicken out," Nautilus whimpered, knowing the feeling already. He didn't go and ask Yuna out, but he wasn't going to regret it now. That time has long passed him by now, and there was no going back to the past.

"I wouldn't. That's how I got Kathy to marry me," Agil chuckled, noticing the other guys look at him in surprise. He just smiled back. "Yup. We had a prom night and I walked up to her, asked if she liked playing video games. Started as a couple right off the bat there, and became husband and wife a few years later."

"Well, isn't that quite the story," their leader whistled in amazement, before looking back at his maroon-haired friend. "Look, he's going to do it."

And just as he said it, all their heads snapped towards Klein's way, who was walking forwards to a friend of theirs whom he knew very much, bended over and taking a look at the flower pots.

Damn, she wasn't just beautiful, she just had to have that hourglass figure. It didn't help that she was in that sort of position, cloth stretched to fit her body and outlining her build.

He gulped, suddenly very nervous.

'No! I can't back out of this! I would have been wasting Nier's time if I do!' He sucked it up, and raised his voice. "Heya, Rose!"

"Hmm?" That familiar voice, that pretty scarlet hair, accompanied with her turning around, only for her single revealing eye to widen in surprise. "Klein? What are you doing here?"

"Could've asked you the same thing," he shrugged with that goofy smile as always. "I was just taking a stroll around the area, then I caught notice of you. I was just on my way to get some lunch or something. Wanna' come with?"

"Are you sure? Will Nier be fine with that?" She tilted her head.

"Pssh, it's fine. Dude will understand," he waved her off, sending one not-at-all-suspicious wink at his male friends' way.

They face-palmed.

"I see… Well, if you would have me, then I'm more than happy to follow, I suppose," she nodded.

'Score!' On his face was the mask of calm joy, but his heart and mind was literally exploding with bubbling ecstasy. 'Alright, first phase done! Time to move on with the next one!'

"So, where shall we be eating at?" She asked, crossing her arms over those damn boi melons.

Err, chest.

Funnily enough, Klein was never a perverted man. It was only until after PoH came into the picture did he slowly lose his 'code of honour' and develop more of a 'code of honour and women'.

God damn it, PoH.

"Ermm, I heard that there was this really great place at 'Marten'. Nier said that it wasn't too expensive, but the service and food there was really great," he gave a thumbs-up, accompanied with his gallant smile. "How 'bout it?"

"I'm fine with that. To 'Marten' then," she nodded, following the man.

Meanwhile, Nier and his little company watched on, all the while trying to remain anonymous. The moment the two were making their way towards the 'Teleport Gate', Nier held an arm out.

"What're you stopping us for, man?" PoH was ready to push his leader's arm down, but he kept it steady.

"We can't all go. We'd attract too much attention," he said.

"Then you should go," Nautilus spoke next. "You're by far the best at remaining stealthy, out of all of us. Better than PoH, I think."

"Hey! I'll have you know, I managed to sneak myself into my principal's office late at night, in the middle of a snow storm, just to take back my lighter!" The man pouted, annoyed.

"Eh? Why'd you even bring a lighter to school?" The lad questioned back.

"Damn old man thought I was trying to burn the school down. I only brought it because a friend of mine was having a birthday, and I was going to light up the candles until he freaking snatched it from my hands. Freaking d*ck," he spat, before his emotions returned to normal and he looked at Nier. "Welp, my boy, you're the one who's best for this job. Go out there, and help Klein when he needs it."

"Yeah, okay. Just make sure no one else finds out or anything, got it?" The three older males gave him their words of promise, assuring him. "Good."

* * *

Floor 57: Marten Town

Again, not a very nice place to stay due to how urban-like it looked, but one thing for sure, it had a pretty good number of restaurants and tourist attracting spots, all of which didn't take much from one's wallet to begin with.

The «Blank» managed to find himself a random grey scarf from one of the shops—obviously paying for it, of course—and it suited him nicely. This would be a good way to hide his face.

Although, the same could not be said for his hair, unfortunately.

He had to stay his distance away from the shop, as Rosalia might notice him by the hair colour—he didn't want to dye it, even if the thought sounded nice.

Talking about the redhead…

"So, you've been practicing on your katana moves while you were outside earlier?" She asked, absentmindedly stirring her drink with a straw.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm not Nier, so I've gotta' work hard to actually be a better fighter," the man snickered back, hearing a short laughter from the woman.

"I agree there. Our leader is exceptionally talented, for such a young age no less," she nodded in agreement.

'Okay! Nier said that if I can make her smile or laugh, then it's a good sign! Score!' Yet again he cheered in his head, before returning to reality. "So Rosalia, tell me. How's your naginata working out for you?"

"Splendidly, I must say. It's practically more easier to use than the spear, since I'm actually capable of swinging it then just jabbing at my foes," she imagined herself holding her weapon right now, envisioning a group of enemies for her to tear apart. "It was hard at first, but it became so easy, I felt that it was destined for me."

"Heh, yeah. You were kicking ass with it," he nodded. It was only a fraction of a second before his eyes widened and he moved his hand to his mouth to close it. "Sorry for my language. Guess I've been chilling out with PoH a bit too much."

"It's fine. Words tend to come out whenever you least expected it," Rosalia chuckled, shaking her head. "Although… Since you said it, I must say, there have been changes to you ever since you've been spending time with him. Not that I would say it's a bad idea, but try not to become like him."

"Yeah, I promise," he rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

'So far so good,' Nier noted, seeing the flow of the conversation absolutely good and things going absolute well. 'If they can keep this up, no doubt things are going to be better than I thought. Come on Klein, it's up to you.'

It was only half an hour later before the food came, and the two ate in silence, bringing up topics of conversation every once in awhile, with their leader secretly standing on watch just outside, hiding behind another building.

As much as he wanted to just leave, he wanted to be there to give his friend emotional support. Just his presence alone should at least have a small effect, and he hoped it to be positive.

It was a bit of time later before Nier could feel his gut telling him something bad was about to happen. Or at least, something not expected.

And the answer came in the form of… wait a minute, is that Yolko?

Huh. He supposed it would make sense. She came to live here during the meantime, after all, before she had came to ask for his help with «Bloody Coffin».

"No, Nier. Focus on the task at hand," he shook his head of thoughts, making sure to keep a close eye on the situation. If need be, he'll interject into the matter to make things right.

Right now, he could see the purplette taking a look at the menu at the counter, reading the list of dishes and beverages present. It was some time later before she finally noticed the two people eating.

"Oh? Rosalia-san? Klein-san?" She blinked, both the two looking at her in surprise.

'Oh shoot! No one was supposed to find out!' He gulped the bits of food in his mouth, looking to where Nier stood, only to receive an uncertain shrug in response. 'Came out of nowhere, huh? Gotta' take this into my own hands,' he decided, before standing up slowly. "Yolko, is that you? What're you doing here?"

"Came to eat, I suppose. I didn't expect you to be here with Rosalia-san," she answered.

"Well, if you want, you could eat with us, I guess," he offered, pulling out his pouch of Cor. "Want anything? It's on me."

"What? No, no! I could never!" She raised her arms, but the snicker elicited from the man had her stopping in her tracks.

"Puh-lease! I don't mind, really!" His trademark smile was ever at the ready, not at all forced. "Trust me on this one, I'm more than happy to pay. You can repay me by being my next sparring partner."

"W-Well, if you're fine with that," she calmed down slightly, her sweet smiling coming into play. "Thank you very much."

"It's cool," there was a shrug before going to the counter.

And from afar, Nier was grinning. The guy made a good move.

* * *

Three Days Later—Floor 61: Selmburg

*Shing!*

"So! You're saying that your friend is trying to get a girlfriend?" Heathcliff asked as he traded blows with his younger opponent, who was keeping up his fight pretty well.

"Yeah, and I can only pray that things will go well on his end," the boy huffed, unleashing an uncharged «Horizontal» on him before jumping back, meeting Heathcliff's large blade with his own, pushing him slightly back. "I must say, it was pretty surprising for him to say that out of nowhere. I don't really mind, actually. As long as he's..!"

*Clang!* *Thk..!*

The commander's sword was sent out of his grasp by force, falling onto the ground beside him, with Nier's own sword aimed directly at his throat.

"…Happy," his statement ended, he sheathed his training sword. "Good fight."

"The same as well," the commander smiled back, watching as the boy made his way to where Yuna, Argo and Philia were at.

The three of them decided to come with him to the floor, just to watch him train with the commander of the «Knights of Blood». And needless to say, it was a spectacle to behold. His movements were careful and accurate, with any little slip-up could have made the whole thing south.

As expected of the «Blank».

"Nice one, Nier! You sure you aren't in any way hacking yourself to be this good?" The information broker snickered, her teasing fully innocent.

"Nah. This is totally original," he snorted, though a part of him couldn't help but wonder just how long he'll be able to keep that up. "In any case, do you girls have anywhere you wanted to go?"

"Ooh! To 'Floria'! It's a really nice place, after all!" Sachi suggested, though the faintest of blushes could be seen on his face.

He inwardly chuckled, knowing that it would be embarrassing for her to be seen walking around with him. Since the place was a popular spot for couples, it would definitely give the other players that sort of impression.

Thankfully, this was a group, so there was no way anyone would actually come close to thinking he's got a girlfriend.

Although, he very much prayed that no one would think he has a harem of all things.

'Dang it, Klein. PoH, you too. Both of you are killing me here…' He groaned at the thought, but agreed with the blunette's request all the same. "Fine. We've still got time to kill, so let's go."

"Right!" All three girls responded, equally as nervous as each other.

And Heathcliff, watching from the porch of his comfortable villa, couldn't mask the grin on his face. He was already wondering who the lucky girl to steal his heart first would be.

An interesting thing to think about, but not so much that it would take up the entirety of his time, after all.

* * *

Floor 47: Floria

Okay, so being here _may_ not be the best idea ever.

Why?

Well, judging by the sight of Klein walking side by side with _Yolko_ , talking about the flowers and just how pretty the floor looked, with the samurai casually slipping in some compliments into the conversation, with the purple-haired woman turning a bright shade of red each time she hears it, it brought up many questions.

For one… What the heck happened with Rosalia?

As far as Nier remembered, the only person his friend had ever mentioned having a personal liking towards was Rosalia herself.

But right now, seeing him with another woman that looked slightly younger, did not have red hair, was not tall, or even using a naginata, clearly indicates that something must have happened.

And two, is this cheating?

Maybe, in a way, the two of them had clearly become good friends, and the feeling of adoration had sprouted. But, somewhere along those lines, Yolko entered the pictured, thus the situation before him right now.

Well, isn't that something.

However, the questions kept pooling in his mind, but the only thing he wanted to know right now was where Rosalia was.

"She's apparently home," Argo answered the boy, who gave her a surprised look in response. "Yup. I messaged her, and she's on cooking duty for today."

"Cooking duty? Ehh, is it okay for her to do that? I mean, no offense, but I trust Yuna and Asuna the most when it comes to that," he chuckled, sweat-dropping at her deadpanning expression—and missing the happy blush the aforementioned former had on her face.

"Just keep quiet and watch," she rolled her eyes.

With everyone returning their attention to the couple, they could make out the words of the two, thanks to their enhanced 'Hearing' skill—they followed Nier's advice well, it seems.

"So, you and Rosalia seem to be getting along quite nicely, if I would say. Almost had me surprised there," the woman giggled, eliciting a nervous chuckle from her friend. He usually stuck to the guys, after all.

"Y-Yeah. Just wanted to be able to communicate with all my guild members and friends, ya' know? It would be pretty bad if I can't keep a conversation between myself and them going," there was another giggle, making him feel eased already.

"You're kind, Klein-san. Much more than you hold yourself to be," her words were like honey, he noted, almost feeling his skin burn with embarrassment.

"H-Haha! Please, I'm nothing of the sort," tried as he might, his face was already plump like a tomato by now, and there was no mistaking it too. 'Damn, how does Nier handle the compliments so easily..?!'

The answer? He's just like that.

And in the room far off from every other worlds, both man and dragon shared a chuckle, knowing just how true it is.

"It's true, though. You're working extremely hard to make others feel welcome… It's hard to find someone as nice as you nowadays," and then came the sad tone, and he knew he had to play his part in it as well.

"Yeah, I feel you," he crossed his arms, overlooking the fields of flowers that stretched well across the horizon, reaching countless areas.

He always knew. Everyone does. In this world, it was live or die. But that didn't mean they had to resort to killing each other, right?

Fortunately, kindness was beginning to show up in most other players, opting to lend a helping hand to the weaker ones. Even so, there was no mistaking the fact that, with just a touch from fate's hands, everything could be ruined.

That was why they needed to finish this game quickly. So that everyone could know that hope does indeed exist, that all their efforts weren't for nothing, and that they could be the good people they were always supposed to be.

That's what Nier wanted. And as far as his heart had beaten and pumped blood, so too does he.

"Klein, tell me… Is it wrong to kill someone who's trying to kill you here?" Her question came out of left field, momentarily forcing his brain to stop before he took the time to think it through.

First thought was; why the hell was _he_ being asked this?!

This was more of Nier's thing! The kid was a genius, for crying out loud! Sure, he may not understand himself all that well, but ironically enough, he's more human than most! And that's saying something.

But the second and final thing that put all the pieces together, that allowed him to be confident, was that he needed to be honest with himself and her. Covering his belief with cream and sugar is only going to make it sour in the end.

Better hurt than make it hurt even more later.

"I mean, if we can, then don't, I guess…" He came out slow, scratching the back of his head, before looking at her, steeled gaze that almost melted her. "But I know we have to. We want to get out of here alive, to see the world again. And… I want to see all of you guys when we get back home, so we have to. If there's anyone that's going to hurt me or you, or anyone for that matter, I'm there to fight."

That was what he believed. Not his 'code of bushido' or whatever. This came directly from the bottom of his heart, whether she liked it or not.

"I-I see. Okay," she was blinking at first, but the genuine smile came to her at last, accompanied with that lovely flush on her face that just made her fit in this land of flowers. "I understand what you mean. And yeah… You're right."

'Boom,' a fanfare bloomed in his mind.

The group of four just watched on, with Nier trying to mask his smile but to no avail. When had his best friend—though he would never say it, but Klein's always proclaiming himself to be so, so that's that—become so good with his words?

Funny. Just a few days ago, he was crying at his feet to become a quote unquote 'lady killer'. Right now, he managed to get a girl to blush with just words and no other actions.

'People change, Nur. Remember that,' the words of his father rang vividly in his mind, and he found himself actually agreeing on that.

Yesterday, he was a man. Today, Klein was a man with a girlfriend.

* * *

Two Days Later

Okay, scratch the previous statement. Things just got _way_ more complicated.

"What in the world..?" Asuna wanted to just turn away and ignore whatever she was seeing right now, because it clearly was not her place to say anything.

"Hmm? What's the matter?" Sachi turned to her fellow fifteen-year-old, who had a look that was a mix between shock and confusion.

"I'm not entirely sure of what to say about that," she said, barely pointing a finger at the scene before her.

Curious, Sachi followed the direction of the chestnut-haired girl's finger, gasping as her eyes went wild.

Wait, what is going on?

"Are you entirely certain? I'd rather not trouble you with something as trivial as this," Rosalia hummed, though earned a bright thumbs-up from the maroon-haired man she had been walking with.

"Don't worry about me! This is only going to take a jiffy!" Reassured the samurai before he prepared himself, and suddenly—

*Cssh!*

"Hah!" He had jumped upwards, catching a branch and lifting himself up into the canopy of the larger than average tree, trying to find a fruit. "Where is it… Aha! There you are!"

He reached out his arm to get the fruit, and, successful in his little 'mission', jumped down onto the ground, looking satisfied.

"There it is! One fresh fruit for milady," he spoke with the tone of such a fine man, that it almost had her flustered there.

"T-Thank you," she nodded in gratitude, taking it from him and eating. "And you?"

"Meh," he shrugged. "For you, it's enough already. Haha!"

Still, even if he was taking this pretty lightly, it didn't mean that she wasn't embarrassed, finally turning a bright shade of scarlet.

Meanwhile, Asuna and Sachi tried to make sense of the scene before them. Didn't Nier say that he was already dating Yolko, for crying out loud?! Dang it, things were getting way too crazy, counting out the fact that they were going to be taking on «The Gleaming Eyes» soon enough!

This lead to the «Vice Commander» to send an urgent message to her leader, who was, at the moment, busy trying to figure out a strange question that literally came to him from Bahamut.

And even from the corner of his vision, could he see the snicker on the dragon's expression.

'So,' he thought with a wry smile. 'He thinks I can't solve this? Just you wait, Bahamut, I'll show you.'

It was definitely a concerning one, to be honest. There were four convicts, with a wall in between each of them, named A, B, C and D respectively. All they could do was look in one direction, forced to wear the same type of hat. They were only told that there were two black hats, and the other two being white. So, they have to guess which hat colour whoever which was wearing, and if they do with just one chance, they all live.

If not, well… They die.

Problem is, the wall was designed to be opaque, so there was no seeing through.

"Wow, this is really confusing…" Philia scratched the back of her head, brain feeling like mush as she looks at this picture.

"Same," chorused Silica and Lux, who were sitting to his right and taking a look at the picture.

Agil and PoH grunted quietly in agreement, trying to get their heads to wrap around this weird ass picture. Where did Bahamut even find this to begin with?

"Hmm… As far as I can tell, 'A' is placed alone on the left side of the wall, so we'll leave him there," began Nier, still trying to get the pieces to click. "He can't see the others, after all."

"Oh… That makes sense," the younger dragon tamer 'Oh-ed' in understanding.

"Right. Now, 'B' can't see the wall too, since he's facing towards the wall, so he won't be making the choice here," there was a hum before he continued again. "Okay. So right now, only 'C' and 'D' could possibly make the guesses, since they're the ones that could actually see the people."

"Right. So why isn't 'D' the guy to call the shots? I mean, he can probably tell that 'B's wearing white too, ya' know," PoH offered, but earned a shake of the head from the boy.

"It doesn't work that way. See, in this line of view, all that they can see if the person and the hat on their head _directly_ in front of them, right? So, right now… Think of it like this. If 'D' and 'C' switched hats, no doubt 'D' would think 'Okay, 'C' has a white hat, so the one in front of him also has white, so mine is black'."

"So why _didn_ _'_ _t_ he say that already?" Agil was beginning to question both his sanity and the limit to Nier's IQ level.

"It's the uncertainty, Agil. Remember, one must put into consideration the logic of the simplest factors of such an equation," his words had question marks popping up above their heads, with a grin that matched his current expression; one that belonged to a fox that had captured its prey with its trap. "Emotion. In this case, 'C' feels 'D' is hesitating, so he feels 'D' is also white', and thus he answers 'My hat is black'. So the final answer is 'C'."

There was a snap of his fingers, and everyone were just staring at him like lost lambs. Shagaru held back his need to let out his draconic laugh, not at all surprised that his master was this smart.

Bahamut just witnessed what seemed to be the orchestrations of a being not belonging in this world, his jaws agape.

"What are you so shocked about? This isn't the really hard type, after all," he chuckled, setting the picture down as he crossed his arms, a triumphant grin on his face. "In fact, almost anyone would have been able to answer this."

"I'm just… Wow," the orange-haired lass lost all her words, not at all expecting something such as this.

"Nier, have you ever tried for the position of president of a country or something? 'Cause I think you would make the damn place prosper quicker than any previous leaders," the 'Prince of Hell' fell back into the chair with a deeply-stretched sigh, fully broken by the power of the boy's mind.

"I doubt it. Rulers have experience, and the most that I have is playing leader for our guild," Nier shrugged, though the thought of it was pretty nice. "So, any comments?"

Before anyone even managed to form a sound, a notification sound resonated in the room, coming from their leader himself.

Surprised, he opened it, taking note that it was Asuna who had sent it. But the longer he read, the stronger the urge to just slap himself grew.

And finally, with a wave of his hand, the message closed.

"Was there a problem?" The pig-tailed girl asked.

"Not entirely, no. Just something that requires my attention," he spoke with assurance, getting up. "Until then, Agil, I'm putting you in charge. God knows what would happen if I let PoH take charge.

"You got it."

"H-Hey! I can do that sort of job just fine!"

"Well, I'm off," the boy didn't spare the ex-murderer any of his attention before he moved towards the door, with Bahamut and Shagaru trailing behind him. "This isn't really a mystery, but I suppose it _is_ complicated."

* * *

When he arrived at the area of which Asuna and Sachi were located at, he wasn't looking at a Klein hanging out with Rosalia as the girls had initially told him. Instead, he was with Yolko as of currently, which truly gave him a headache.

Is he _seriously_ doing what he thinks he's doing?!

"Okay. Before any of us jump to any decisions," and it sounded like he was trying very hard not to point a finger at himself. "Let's try reading into this and at least get some info. Just to make this easier for us. And potentially save all of us from the danger of making a very big mistake."

"B-But..! He's c-chea—" He silenced his blue-haired friend with a finger to her lips, stopping her from saying anything more.

"Like I said, we don't know anything. We can't take what we're saying at face value, so let's stop before we make a really bad mistake," he sighed, messaging his temples. Even though he said it, he really wanted to confront his friend very much and ask him what's going on here.

As such, the group of three dispersed, trying to collect the littlest bits of pieces of information that they could get from the nearby players and NPC's.

Unfortunately, despite much time spent interrogating each one of them, all seemed to say the exact same thing; that they saw _nothing_.

How?! Those two were literally in front of everyone, and it should have been impossible to have just missed them! This thought continued to pester him in the mind until he came to one final conclusion.

Even if they had seen something, and even gone so far as to say something, how much could they be trusted? They could have just forged the story in their minds just to satisfy him. But that wasn't what he wanted.

So, right now, his initial thought of confronting Klein came full-force, and he'll make sure to speak to him in the living quarters in his room.

For now, they'd better just call it a day.

* * *

That Night

Klein wasn't going to lie when he would say that he was extremely grateful to his guy friends, all of whom were the ones that spurred him on to make the decisions he had made on that fateful day

To walk up to the most beautiful woman he's met so far as he's stepped foot into this game, speak to her, and ask her out—even if it did start off as an innocent gesture.

And God, did he make the right choice following Nier's advice! No woman would want to be rushed into a relationship, so taking things slow and steady was indeed the way to win it. Hell, he feels like he's a married man by now!

Which, of course, only ends up with him getting shot down by Agil's teasing, which only set more fuel to his determination.

Truth be told, he wasn't planning for—Oh wait, that would be breaking the secret now.

In any case, today had been the best day, as the previous days have been ever since he's confronted his best friend about this romance stuff, and ultimately created a new chapter in his life. He'll call this… the 'Klein's Love Chronicles'.

"Yeah… That sounds like a pretty cool name," he laughed, no one else there to hear him. Probably asleep, at best.

However, the only reason why he hadn't hit the hay as everyone else has was because his aforementioned best friend had sent him a message, stating his wish to talk to him about something. Of course, who was he to deny him?

Kid's probably got something important on his mind.

And so, here he was, sitting at his bed and just waiting for the monochromatic-haired boy to arrive.

It was some time later, after three or five chirps from the crickets outside—look like his friend's tendency to just take notice of everything had rubbed off on him—only then did his friend finally knock on his door.

" _Klein, are you in?_ " He called out from outside.

"Yeah! Come on in!" The man hollered back.

A twist of the knob and Nier was present in the avatar of which he used, looking young as always and present in the same outfit he always wore, albeit without the coat he wore into battle and on casual days most of the time.

"Sorry for disturbing. Just had something on my mind I really needed to address with you," he said, giving a slight bow.

"Pfft, it's cool. Take a seat," he pulled a chair nearby, setting it opposite of the bed, where the boy now sat. "So, what's up?"

"I'll cut to the chase, then, so forgive me if I'm being too blunt," said the boy, with his friend rolling his eyes. Everyone's already gotten used to his method of talking by now. "Who are you dating currently?"

The moment the words left his lips, the flower-scented hand that belonged to Klein zipped towards the younger one's lips, covering it entirely. The look on his face displayed not fear, but slight awkwardness.

"Dude, before you say anything more, can you at least let me explain? Please..?" He sounded pleading. Nier pried his hand off his lips, sporting an unamused look.

"Uhh, yeah. That's what I came here for," the sounds of chirping from the insects outside played on, even as he spoke in what seemed to be a serious, yet slightly lighter tone than most. "You have my word, whatever is spoken in this room remains in this room only. I just want to know what you've been up to."

"Yeesh, take it easy on me. You're making me sound like a bad guy," he chuckled, feeling edgy at the moment. "But okay. So the story goes like this…"

And thus, he spilt everything. Going back to the time when he had gone on that lunch with Rosalia on the very first day, when Yolko seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Of course, learning some 'gentlemanly lessons' from PoH, paid for her lunch as well.

That was something he knew very much, having been there to watch the whole thing play out. But the confusion played its cards when he mentioned how he would always spend his time with both women, seemingly dodging an important fact.

He lingered with the descriptions of his time with both women, any time he's ever decided to go on a stroll around the towns with the redhead, or when he's watching some strange play in a random theatre with the purplette.

Nier wasn't one to just butt in and stop him, but this was going on for way too long.

"Okay, hold up. Just," he didn't say anything more, and his friend cut his line of speech short. "Tell me, Klein, are you dating both of them?"

This was just all that he wanted to know, nothing e—

"OKAY!" Nier jumped slightly at the outburst, never having heard Klein ever raise his voice like this before. "I admit it! I'm dating _both of them_! And you know what?! I have no regrets, so if you're feeling salty about it, you—"

*Thud!*

Nier struck the man at the head with another of his soft chop, sending him reeling back in shock.

"For crying out loud, I said that I wasn't going to tell anyone. That's all that I wanted to know," he groaned, feeling a headache coming. "Look, Klein, it's not my place to tell you whether this or that is wrong, even if it certainly not common to have two girlfriends at the same time."

"Shut up, man! You have, like, ten! And yes, I counted!" Snapped the older male, clenching his hair so hard as he gritted his teeth out of frustration and jealousy.

"What? Klein, I don't even have _one_ girlfriend. What are you talking about?" He scoffed, almost laughing if it weren't for the deadpanning expression s friend used right after that.

"You _still_ don't—Ahh, who am I kidding? That's your own quirk, I suppose," a disappointed sigh came out, which truly confused his younger friend. "So… That's it? You came here to know whether or not I was dating Rosalia or Yolko?"

"Yeah. But now, my next question is whether the both of them know of this current situation," he crossed his arms.

And there came that one expression.

The expression that the modern people, and most commonly for those who don't mind swearing at all, that only appeared in the situations when 'they freaked up'.

And by freaked, you know what it should really be.

His body tensed, sweat beginning to form on his forehead as his eyes shot wide open. There was little sign of his previous calm, with his arms beginning to shiver and nary a breath to be expelled from his lips. His mind was racing with a million thoughts, all of which he knew he would not be able to handle.

Nier, on his part, could only sigh. Cheating on a girlfriend was an immensely serious thing, and there would be no benefit of the doubts if he got caught in any intimacy with one person.

"…I'm going to say this once, and I won't be repeating it any time after this," he stood up, placing the seat back to its original place. "In cases like this, it's better to just bring it upfront rather than wait for them to find out. You'll rue the day they rain their wrath upon you."

A foreboding danger that shall be cast upon him. Like that isn't scary at all!

Seriously, how the hell can he make it sound so terrifying?

Nier walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him and finally sighing. Try as he might, there was no getting out of this. Running to the first floor and hiding it out there, even if he were to leave the guild and start training up his 'Hiding' skill, it was only a matter of time before he gets struck.

'Good luck,' he said in his mind.

* * *

A Week Later—Floor 28: Wolf Plains

Nier almost wondered as to whether or not he should say something to the others, or if he should just continue to keep his mouth shut.

Right now, he was busy hunting down wolves with his bow, trying to gather as much of their hide as he possibly could. There had been a request for some, so he was down here gathering some.

It was pretty easy, actually. They spawn in packs, so quickly in just an interval of ten minutes each time the whole pack is slain. And taking into account just how good Nier was, he was able to pick off the beasts quicker than anyone else could, so the mobs kept coming.

Of course, where most would think it was a bad idea to go in alone, his level, standing at a proud number of ninety-two, would be more than fine to handle such oppression.

The only thing he had on his mind right now was the current issue about a certain _someone_ dating two other people in his guild.

Not that he minded. If they were truly content with such a decision, then he would have just left it there, but the fact remained that the women knew absolutely _nothing_ about the guy's relationship with the other.

Secretly dating one behind the other's back. Now he had to wonder where to draw the line for 'absurdly insane'.

One thing for sure, women were complex little things that would always act out of expectation, surprising anyone at just about anytime. It was hard to even picture what they were thinking, of all things.

So put Klein in this dangerous situation. Who knows what they would do to the man.

But right now, he wanted to just forget all of it and just focus on the task at hand.

*Whroaah!*

The blood red monsters spawned out of thin air, taking shape amongst the shards of colours that momentarily covered their bodies. Their low snarling, thick lust for blood, with matching eyes that were narrowed at their target.

The «Blank» notched an arrow to his bow, ready to take some more kills.

…

There's never too much to bring back with you.

"Whoo… That was a good workout," he wiped away the sweat on his brow, kicking back as he sat at the safe area of the floor.

For now, he was going to need to deal with the headache that came with the quote unquote 'unfortunate predicament' that was on his hands.

Of course, he could just let himself to ignore it, which was supposed to be the right choice here. This had absolutely nothing to do with him, after all, since this was Klein's problem. But the fact remained that it was him who taught his friend the ways of romancing, even if a little, and ultimately this path.

He should have been careful.

He should have at least told him of what to do and not to do. But he was late now.

Right now, everything hangs on Klein's shoulders, and he was the only one who could decide the ultimate finale to this whole 'drama'.

Pfft, drama…

* * *

Floor 2: Urbus

A town formed from what seemed to be a crater in a mountainous region, it made sense why this place was especially hotter than most floors, compared to the cool breeze that which made up floor twenty-two, 'Coral', or the salty-scented 'Selmburg' since it was quite close to the sea, or surrounded by it. Nier did not know whether to just go sightseeing or try out one of their restaurants.

If there's one thing for sure, is that he really likes eating, give or take.

Fortunately, or unfortunately—depending on who you ask—he hadn't been here to just waste time. His client was here, and thus made delivering the items not that hard.

After the whole business had been dealt with, including signing a few of his autographs—where do the people even get his picture, anyways?—and watching both his client and his band of friend giggling away as they left the place, he was again thinking.

Although, much less of anything and more of the beings in the room.

"You called?" The boy didn't react to the sudden call from his right, the man grinning without so much of a care.

"Not actually, though I _was_ thinking about you guys," he admitted with his own smile. "I'm just… trying very hard to not think about a certain something. And _don_ _'_ _t_ , I tell you, don't even try to remind me, please."

"Of course, milord," he nodded, leaning against the wall with the boy and just watching the crowd flow ahead, not a care for the world. "Perhaps you need something much better to take your mind off of things?"

"And what's your suggestion?" He asked, curious.

"You had initially planned to tackle the last two floors prior on your own, correct?" He asked, getting a wide-eyed expression. "Of course, you seem to have caught on quick. I am not at all surprised."

"You're kidding me, right?" The boy sweat-dropped slightly, wondering if he was indeed serious.

And, judging by that entirely nonchalant look on his face, the calmness in his body sign, and the way he seemed to just be smiling his way, proved that such a thought was indeed true.

He was actually being serious about this!

"No, no no no no no, I could never," he shook his head quickly. "The others would kill me."

"Truly? Then, what say if we could use it to our advantage, hmm?" There was a sly tone poorly hidden behind his voice now, a sly grin to match it. "You could, say for instance, use it to 'clear the situation'. Put an end to this little trouble that keeps weighing down on your mind."

"Huh?" Mouthed the lad in confusion. "What do you… Oh."

Oh, so _that_ _'_ _s_ what he meant.

For a moment there, he actually considered such a thing, knowing for sure that the only bad thing about it was that he'd get an earful from all his friends after this.

However, this was indeed the best way to stage the final act in his best friend's so-called 'Klein's Love Chronicles'—it was his own fault for muttering the damn name so loud.

Right now, he needed to set a path for both him and the two women he has his heart out for on the right path. And yes, this could be him being extremely nosy in someone else's business, but even he himself was enthralled at the idea of playing devil.

Oh well. It's his friend's fault for getting all of this love business so messed up. It's time for someone to clean up the mess after him.

* * *

Three Days Later—Floor 74: Labyrinth

Funny. This was just some silly situation that didn't necessarily call for such drastic measures, but Nier decided to just do it because why not?

This is a _game_. And the basic rule for every game was that anyone could do whatever heck they want!

Except cheating, of course. Now that's just not cool.

But in this case, Nier wasn't cheating because he wanted to. He's using it because he knows that both he and everyone else were in trouble, so this was the best way to save everyone.

Standing in front of the menacing doors before him now, towering over him by over a large margin, the boy checked himself to see whether he had everything he needed. In case things went south, he'd at least be able to escape the area.

Thank God, his 'Teleport Crystals' were secured around his belt, ready to be used.

" **You know, this has got to be the most stupidest thing you** **'** **ve ever done** **…"** Muttered Tatl, utterly scared but doing a good job of not showing her.

" **Come now. This is Nier we** **'** **re talking about. He** **'** **ll probably do something so awesome none of us will ever see coming,** **"** her brother remained optimistic, however, smiling if he had lips.

*Rha!* *Rrh…*

Even Shagaru and Bahamut trailed behind master, their fellow A.I's, voiced their agreements—the latter was somewhat hesitant in admitting it, but he had been bested by the boy, after all. There was no changing that fact.

The boy, on the hand, just settled with smiling at the sight before him, just happy that they decided to come along, even when he had described the dangers of such an operation.

Heck, even Yui came along!

"You know, you guys can still just go home. The others would certainly get worried if you guys are gone for too long," he said, sparing them a glance, only to be matched with a reassured smile from the little ravenette.

"Thanks, Nier. But we're coming with you. Plus, everyone else would have been worried about you by then, so we'd still be coming along!" She replied, sounding as cheerful as ever.

"Yup! We've got your back always, bro!" Happily shouted Klein as he did a thumbs-up at the boy.

Fortunately, Klein had caught onto the boy's sudden desire to go off and take care of the boss on floor seventy-five. Knowing this, he immediately decided to join his best friend, with Nier trying to dissuade him, though he remained stubborn and was now here with the boy.

Actually, this was good. The plan that he had in his mind revolved around Klein, with the samurai being the constant variable here that will ultimately change his own life. Of course, with a bit of unintentional help from their upcoming foe.

"Hhaa, fine. But don't blame me if something goes horribly wrong, you know," he chuckled, rolling his eyes.

But seriously though, this was going to be extremely risky. Any mistakes on his end and he would put everyone in danger. So he was going to work really hard to account for any slip-ups, whether it came from him or the others.

But why were the others so relaxed?

Well, it was because of two things; their trust in their undefeated leader, in which rumours about him possibly being stronger than Heathcliff had been circulating around the game for longer than he would have ever known, and that this was actually a request from him.

To just be relaxed, and not stress themselves too much over this.

Hey, morale was just as important as the weapon one would take into battle. Cut away the spirit, and you'd have yourself a lazy and unmotivated army.

He was going to fight with every fibre of his being, but he will not let the battle scare him. He had to be strong. He was everyone's pillar, even when he was afraid of taking up such a task, but he would try his best.

Pulling out «Binary», he walked up to the entrance before brushing the surface of the door, remembering the first time he pushed it open, coming face to face with such a terrifying being.

Right now, however, he couldn't be scared. This was for the sake of his friend's in-game future—and, when they all survive, that this would indeed grow even more serious, his _reality_ _'_ _s_ future. Anything was possible, after all.

"Careful, Nier. We don't know what's going to happen in there," his best friend said, sounding serious.

"Yeah," he nodded back.

Sucking in his breath, he steeled his nerves before pushing the door open.

*Creeaak…*

The scent of dust and old books slammed straight into his nostrils without mercy, the lingering smoke from the previously lit flames around the boss room also making their way into his nose. There was the faint scent of 'blood', which smelt more of vinegar than anything else.

He wondered where that came from.

Looking around the extremely dark room, only able to make out the entire size of it all, as well as the faint colour of yellow covering the body of the boss sitting atop his throne, all of this being possible with help from «Libra».

The others didn't have trouble, but he noticed Yui squinting her eyes a bit.

Welp, time to get down to work.

 ***Fire Emblem Fates** **—** **Temporal Dream (Play Song)***

*Ghruaa…*

Breathing out slightly, the great bipedal creature slowly rose from where he sat, slowly hefting its unforgiving blade slightly in the air, before revealing both glowing bue orbs, staring straight at where the intruders stood at.

It wasn't long before the name «The Gleaming Eyes» faded into existence, just below four fully green health bars.

Nier just stared back, with a blank expression however, not flinching at all.

"Yui, Tatl, Tael," he didn't look at them. "Enact an 'Evened Odds' tactic. Shagaru, Bahamut, Klein, with me."

"R **i** g **h** t **!** " The human-like A.I. and the fairies responded back with vigour, getting into positions.

*Rhaa!*

"Come on, we can't waste any much time," he said to them, taking a guarding stance.

With an ear-splitting growl, the dark room grew bright once more as blue flames erupted from the sides of the room, giving off a menacing feel as it sparked and crackled, acting as spectators to this supposedly one-sided battle.

Standing in front of him, a great distance away, was a bipedal bull-like creature with a strong body and limbs, wielding what seemed to be a large buster blade. If anything, «The Gleaming Eyes» could very well spell death out for him and his little crew.

Nier, however, believed that fate is for the people to determine on their own, so he wasn't going to lose now.

Pushing his thoughts aside for the meantime, he closed the gap between himself and the towering monster, acting on quick reflexes and jumping to the side the moment he felt the creature ready to swing its blade down on him, which it did immediately.

*Prhh…*

He felt strength flood his being, curtesy of Tatl, who had practiced buffing skills. Tael, on the other hand, would supply him with the healing any time, whilst Yui would act as the «Saboteur», as she has all this while.

Bringing up his sword, breaking out of his thoughts once more, he parried an incoming strike from the boss.

"Alright, let it rip!" He yelled, sending the monster reeling backwards before jumping out of the way—

*Bzz!* *Boom! Boom!*

Just in time to avoid the fatal explosion that came with his leaving, curtesy of «Shagaru The Gore Magala», releasing an explosive-type flame that dealt a crippling blow at the boss's health bar.

Bahamut showed up next, jetting down at the monster and crashing his skull directly against its blue abdomen, before flapping its wings and allowing a torrent of cold win to slam directly at the boss, causing a 'Slow' effect on the boss in the process.

Without so much as a warning, let alone a chance to retaliate, it was forced backwards by a suddenly more stronger blow, forcing it to catch some ground. Only when it managed to stop itself did it notice the samurai, his fist losing its glow as the smoke diminished.

"Yo, this «Martial Arts» thing is really cool!" Exclaimed the well-amazed samurai, equipping his katana this time.

"Yeah, I agree," the boy nodded.

Truth be told, Klein had practiced such an art a long time ago. Only that he has never actually used it because he was more focused on using his katana than anything else.

But right now, he couldn't deny the fact that using it was actually pretty kick ass.

Chuckling, Nier operated his menu, watching as the «Monado» materialised and float before him.

Its eyes narrowed slightly.

"What, this? Oh, don't worry. You'll get a taste of it soon enough," he spoke in such a nonchalant tone that it honestly surprised the boss monster, with his previous weapon in his left hand now. "But don't get too excited now. Eyes on me, and your surroundings."

*Boom!*

The unexpected shot from Shagaru caused «The Gleaming Eyes» to stagger slightly, sent falling down back-first when its sword-wielding enemy suddenly leapt at it, creating an extension of the plasma blade and slicing its face multiple times in rapid succession.

*Bzz..!*

"Can't let you get away with this easy," he said, not needing to look at his sword to know that the blue turned a sickening black. "«Monado: Eater»!"

*Shing!*

He sliced against the still downed boss, watching as an emblem of liquid oozing out of cracked skin form on top of the boss's health bars, successfully debuffed.

It recovered quickly, however, getting a strike at Nier with a quick thrust of its large sword, cutting his health by just a bit. Still, it wasn't anything that his 'Battle Heal' skill, added with Tael's assistance, couldn't help, which soon returned his health all the way back to full once more.

Right now, he doesn't need to worry about himself. Just keep the aggro build up on just him.

Klein rushed the enemy, screaming as he unleashed blow after blow at the bipedal creature. He swung to his right, ducking to the left to avoid a swift jab before stabbing hard at the leg, causing it to stagger.

The man noticed the boss raising its sword to strike down on him, managing to hit it at the exact time.

There was a slight deflection to his left.

"Switch!" He shouted, «The Gleaming Eyes» in time to see the black-white haired boy shoot past the samurai, «Binary» glowing vigorously as it swiped across the monster's leg.

The boy backed away, powering up his «Monado» and unleashing a powerful blow on the same spot, almost causing it to go limp were this real life.

"Shagaru, Bahamut, go for it!" He yelled into the air.

Then, the two dragons of white and black flew down in one fell swoop, catching their fellow monster and enemy off-guard by blasting it at point-blank range, eliciting a painful growl from the boss.

Nier quickly activated «Monado: Buster», dealing a horizontal slash and cutting into its lower limbs with the grand weapon, seeing the fourth health bar go out. Onto the third one.

He held up his blade, quickly blocking the incoming attack. He knocked it slightly backwards, leaping vertically upwards before slamming the flat edge of the now-deactivated weapon squarely against its skull, sending it into a light daze.

His samurai friend followed up with a harsh jab to the lower part of its abdomen, sending it even more backwards.

'Keep this tactic up. Though tedious and rather bland, this is the best shot we've got,' he told himself, rolling out of the blade's careless trajectory, since the monster was still trying to calm its concussion. "Hah!"

He flicked what seemed to be a dagger in his hand, sending it flying upwards and directly into the eye of «The Gleaming Eyes», before it suddenly—

*Boom!*

"Maybe I should have used less gunpowder," he said to no one in particular, seeing his black «Familiar» arrive and doing an aileron roll towards the boss, parting his jaws and crunching down hard onto the beast's entire hard, forcing even more of its health to go down, now to its second health bar.

"Yeah, maybe you should," Klein agreed.

The mist that came from Bahamut's sudden storm attack caused the boy to activate «Libra» to see past it, eyes widening before he brought up both swords to block the giant sword that tried to strike him, perfect timing that allowed him to knock the beast backwards, thus deflecting it.

Willing his «Monado» to life, he activated a «Monado: Buster» before striking hard at the enemy, cutting down the third health bar, slowly reducing with help from Shagaru and Bahamut firing breath after breath of their individual elements towards him from every angle.

"Switch!" He yelled, allowing Klein to deal his own attack at the boss, which took form of a triple-combo sword slashes, powerful.

*GhraHAAA!*

"Well, that's not good," he blinked, wondering what sort of trick it had up its sleeve…

When the most craziest thing just happened.

It raised its single sword high up in the air, directly parallel to its head, before stabbing the ground, causing blue thunder-like energy to burst out of the ground, with everyone avoiding it.

*Ghraa!*

Using this moment, it suddenly did a jump into the air, and came down with a powerful thud.

*Boom!* *Shing!*

"Crud..!" Their leader was sent flying back from the landing, added with the blade attack to his being that utterly causing him to fly a distance half of the room and crash into the wall close to the entrance.

"Nier! / **Nier!** **"** All three A.I.'s felt their blood run cold, rushing to their leader's side.

"Nier!" Still safe, he was forced to watch his friend go through what he had just experienced. Feeling the worry convert into anger, he rushed towards the boss, powering up his katana. "Shagaru, Bahamut, let's go!"

*Grha!*

Both familiars let loose their own roars, ready to exact vengeance upon their leader.

"Damn…" Nier rose up into a forced sit, shaking his head.

" **Don** **'** **t worry, we** **'** **ve got you,** **"** said Tatl as both she and her brother poured healing magic into him, restoring his health back to max. **"** **But damn it, Nier, be careful..!** **"**

"Y-Yeah, sorry about that…" He nodded, slowly getting up with help from Yui. "Come on, we've still got a bit more to—"

 ***Fire Emblem Fates** **—** **Temporal Dream (End Song)***

"To what, hmm?"

"Eh?"

The voice was familiar, belonging to a girl.

He turned to the entrance, seemingly _open_ now, seeing all his guild members standing behind a very mad, very scary-looking Asuna, who had both her arms on her hips, dressed in that familiar black.

He gulped.

She walked over to him, her expression not dropping at all, and got ahold of both his cheeks.

And she tugged on them. _Hard_.

"Owwwieee…" He moaned, eyes shut.

"You seriously thought of coming here without telling us, hmm?" Her tone was dangerously sinister, and so calm too, so much so that it actually made the hair on the end of his neck grow stiff.

"Ifff forghotth…" He tried to say, but it all came out as a bunch of incoherent stuff. Still, she must have understood what he said, judging by how she was narrowing her eyes by now.

Finally, feeling that he's learnt his lesson by now, she let go of her hold over his cheeks, watching him mutter his thanks as he rubbed the two sore parts. Like a child getting scolded by his parents, he actually looked cute.

Whoa now, no distractions, Asuna..! Focus on what you need to say first.

"Do you know how utterly dangerous it was to just come here on your own?" The chestnut-haired girl scowled at him.

"But I didn't come alone…" The younger boy said, pointing behind him, to where Yui and the fairies stood. "I even brought Shagaru and Bahamut…"

"Nier, that doesn't count, you know," PoH behind the two lovebirds—or, at the moment, a girl and her crush—interjected.

"Yeah… But I kinda'," he made a shrug right after, eliciting a sigh from both of his friends. "So, can we just get back to the fight?"

"Yeah? Well, I'm thinking that we need to give you a good scolding first," retorted the lass, still angry with him.

"I'm sorry…" He whined, looking down. If he were some cat, his ears would have deflated.

Asuna took the moment to just stare away, sucking in air. At this rate, she was going to lose to Nier, even if he was being entirely honest. It's just… he looked so cute!

But anything that she would have loved to say at him was cut off by a loud snarl from «The Gleaming Eyes», who had a large stone hefted on its shoulder.

With a starting roar, it threw it at the group.

"Oh, damn!" Quickly, Agil rushed to the front with a kite shield, bracing for the stone.

"H-Hang on!" Nautilus got in front of everyone else as well, bringing out his own pavise.

"Ahh, why the hell not?" Scoffed PoH as he brought out his own large shield. "Bring it!"

*Crash!*

The entire group screamed as the three males held back the attack, grunting as they felt the force still cut their health bars down by a bit, watching as the massive rock break into a thousand pieces, flying everywhere.

However, that was just one of the sudden surprises that their enemy had.

Fending off the pestering dragons, it caught notice of the lone samurai readying a «Sword Skill».

In one brief moment, amongst the flying pebbles and other things, he saw that smirk crossing «The Gleaming Eyes'» lips.

"Klein, wait!" But he was too late.

"Eh?" Blinking at his friend, he couldn't block the incoming attack that mercilessly cut him away, putting half of his health dangerously down. "Ghhah!"

"Klein! Crud, hang on!" Nier had shed his previous display of fear, now afraid as he ran towards his best friend.

However, even if he had supposedly trained himself to be as fast as possible, there was no changing the fact that bluish-purple and scarlet red had rushed even faster past him.

Ahh, looks like things are starting to work out, even if they weren't going the way he had expected it to go.

Just as he both planned and didn't plan.

Meanwhile, the samurai of the «Blank» was just trying to get up, pushing away the rubble from his body and feeling every part of him shaking painfully. A quick look at his own health bar had him doing a spit-take.

How the hell did it reach just a sliver of the whole thing?!

"Whoa… Just a bit more and I would be dead…" Unsurprisingly enough for someone as jolly as he was, he just chuckled. It was cut short when a shadow was casted over his head, forcing him to look up. There, the face of «The Gleaming Eyes» was all that loomed over him.

Rather than screaming in fear, or even show a sign of resignation, he just… sighed.

"Dude, you know just making that face is really dumb, right?" He pointed out, with the boss monster actually taking a moment to consider his words, shifting to a more vicious right after, eyes turning a bright shade of blue. 'Yeeaah… Not a good idea to the taunt the thing.'

*RrruuUHAA—* *Shing!*

However, neither human nor foe NPC could account for the sudden appearance of a red-haired woman, twirling her naginata in the air as she dealt a merciless blow to the monster's backside, drawing aggro onto herself.

"Switch!" Such was the angel that sidestepped an attack, watching as indigo hair rush flowed in front of her, the owner sticking her rapier in the monster's leg quadruple times.

*Grha—* *Boom!*

Shagaru had instantly shut the monster up with a quick fire to its face, slamming its entire weight into the creature and forcing it to the side.

"Everyone! Distract «The Gleaming Eyes»! Hold him off until Klein recoveries!" Ordered their leader as he came in with a charged «Monado: Buster», cutting away at the sword-wielding NPC.

Nodding, everyone else rushed into the fray whilst Rosalia and Yolko made their way to Klein, hesitantly pulling out a 'Healing Crystal' as the other holds the man slightly upwards.

"A capital idea. For you to go in with just Nier alone," Rosalia chided, though even her voice lacked its usual cool.

"H-Hey, it was a pretty good idea, eh?" Still as laid-back as ever, both literally and figuratively.

"Y-You could have died! What then, huh..?" Yolko almost lost it back there, but holding him now reassured her. Still, the fact still remained that he almost died, settling uncomfortably on her stomach.

"Sorry about that…" He panted, feeling himself reinvigorated as his health bar fills up completely now, in the green. "Whoo! Thanks!"

"Klein, please. For our sakes, and for your own, please be careful," whispered his first love interest.

And though his friends were busy fighting this colossal beast, combating him to the best they could, Nier spared one glance past his shoulder to look at three members from his guild, with the sole man shifting to a more serious expression.

The boy hummed, shifting his weight to the right to dodge an attack but still keeping his eyes on the sight before him.

In all his life, Klein had never been too lucky to actually score a girl, let alone make friends with one. In fact, the only thing he _could_ count as actually interacting with them was the times they asked for his money. Of course, being the gentleman he is, he never said 'no'.

Too bad they never paid him back, though.

But here, things were different. He had friends who truly supported him through and through, showing him the true ins and outs of romancing—like it or not, Nier was really good with his stuff, even if he says otherwise.

So now, here he was, standing before two girls he had secretly flirted with behind the other's back, spent time with one girl without the other knowing, and done some other things completely innocent.

Right now, he had to be open.

"Listen, I… need to tell you both something _extremely_ important," he sighed, even when there was an explosion off in the distance. "I… have been dating both of you without you girls realising it."

It was a brief pause, but girls reacted very fast.

"What?!"

"K-Klein! How could you..?"

Yup. Just as Nier said. Very dramatic.

But sad too.

'Now I understand what he meant,' he frowned at the girls before him, scratching the back of his head. "See, ah… I guess I'm not a really awesome guy, unlike my friend there who's literally fighting just one of many things that would have killed us."

'Hey, leave me out of the conversation!' Mentally screamed the boy in subject as he backpedalled away from an attack.

"But I'm trying. Really, I am. I just… don't know what to do, at times," his admittance was sad, really. Guess growing up and not having a girlfriend all this time really affected him this way. "But, it's just… I want both of you to be happy. Taking this from an idiot like me really makes this extremely stupid, I know, but it's what I really want."

He took both hands in his. One from the usually calm and collected red-haired girl, and the other from the sweet and gentle purplette, both of whom were the very same women whom had unintentionally stolen his heart.

And he theirs.

"So wait for me until the battle is over," he said, before his trademark grin came full on, his grip over theirs slipping as he ran backwards. "See you til' then!"

"Finally. Took him long enough…" Muttered the boy under his breath as he backhanded an incoming attack, following it up with a powerful ether blast to the face. The sounds of loud footsteps closing in on him could be heard. "You ready for the finisher?"

"Yup! Got my game face on and my buddy «Wakizashi» ready!" Rhymed the ever light-hearted best friend of his, eliciting a roll of the eyes from the younger male.

And a smile.

"Alright, everyone! Just a bit more!" He shouted, rousing up his guild mates. "Time to finish this."

In one swift moment, he activated «Birth From Bytes», screaming as he felt his entire being exploding with energy and running head-on at the obstacle before him, cutting away at it as if his life depended on it.

"Come on, everyone! Let's kick his ass!" Yelled PoH, with everyone shouting as well and going in for the final kill.

Truly, «The Gleaming Eyes» never saw what hit him.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, wasn** **'** **t that something?**

 **Haha, I know, I know. A bit too long, too unnecessary, but absolutely what I wanted. To develop the story a bit and just add this and that for the fun of it.**

 **So hey, Klein** **'** **s got two lovers now? Isn** **'** **t that something? And no, I didn** **'** **t do it on a whim. Shout out to** **'** **narutoxasuna25** **'** **. You were the one who wanted me to do a thing, I just added an extra.**

 **Now Klein sees how he likes it having more than just one gal to handle** **…**

 **Of course, this chapter may have left many of you utterly dissatisfied with my writing skills, but I ask that you hold back from flaming me; I am still trying my best as a writer, and I don't wish to let all of you down. Then again, to those that _have_ dropped this story already, then forgive me. At the very least, you people will go on to enjoy the works of the other people in this fandom, as they have definitely worked hard to get where they are.**

 **Don't let the terrible work of this foolish young author stop you peeps from enjoying the world of fanfiction, ya' hear me?**

 **In any case, thanks for reading, and I hope all of you have a good day! Peace!**


	24. Chapter 22

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

" _The game is done._ _"_ _-_ Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 22: Wake Up'`

 _By the time that the players awoke to the sounds of such a riot-inducing news, detailing the victory of the guild_ _«_ _Blank_ _»_ _in their battle against_ _«_ _The Gleaming Eyes_ _»_ _on floor 74, it was a time where there was accomplishment._

 _Nier, leader of the_ _«_ _Blank_ _»_ _, sensed an incoming storm at that point, forcing himself into the fray._

 _Just a bit more, and they were good to go._

* * *

A Month Later—Floor 47: Lindarth

After their victory against «The Gleaming Eyes», Nier and his guild decided on taking it slow once more, opting for a more relaxing life that certainly helped them very much. No need to worry about dying and whatnot, since they'd be kicking back in the 'Safe Area' and doing things that didn't necessarily need them to pick up a sword.

It was hard to run away from the 'press' in this game, constantly finding time to wear a cloak and just hide away in some back alley of a town, putting his 'Hiding' skill to use.

Then there were times when the opposite sex, both young and old, would suddenly flock to him, screaming their supposed adoration at him and trying to hug him and—God, was that a nightmare. Girls were extremely scary, and he may as well become a gynophobe at this point.

Luckily for him, however, he's not going to develop such a fear, since he's required to interact with his guild members everyday, most of whom are actually females.

Now, going to the church at the first floor was nice, it really was. Usually, he'd spend the time playing games and telling stories to the children, sometimes going out of his way to do basic training to them—and a few humble showcases, much to their fervour requests.

However, just trying to go anywhere in the open was difficult, with everyone trying to just ask him to be their sensei, or ask for his autograph, or—for most men—teach them _the ways_.

Oh, how he loathes _the ways_. It was an old topic, at first, ranging to how he was always so good at fighting and whatnot. Initially, he was fine with it, only until it suddenly escalated to the point where they suddenly had a rage fest as to how he can win so many girls.

Absolutely stupendous!

That was why he had to get away from every guy he sees on the streets. They might try to get to him and ask him to teach them how to pick up a girl or two. Hell, there was even a creeper who asked him how to get a prepubescent girl to be his little play toy!

Sick in the head, he was, so he resorted to capturing him and sending him to one of the Magistrates on the floor, relieved that someone as messed up as he was wouldn't be able to get his dirty hands on a little girl and do… Brr… Just thinking about it was scary.

But back to the topic of teaching the males how to pick up a girlfriend, he was sure that he would stick to just one answer; _NO_. His first time instructing Klein was already a headache, he could only imagine what it would be like to handle hundreds of other guys.

Although, he'd like to think that he did a pretty good job. Or, perhaps, a bit _too_ good…

"See? Flowers of the opposite colours actually do go well with your hair," declared the maroon-haired samurai of the «Blank», an extremely friendly and casual person, as he looked at the two women before him.

One with red hair, and the other with bluish-purple.

"I… guess you're right," shyly whispered Yolko, trying not to look at her boyfriend in the eye.

"What do you mean you _guess_? Of course I'm right! It's me, after all," snickered the lone man, eliciting both a chuckle and a soft jab to the shoulder from his other girlfriend.

"Ever the jester you are," added Rosalia with a grin of her own.

Right now, Nier was doing a request sent to him from an anonymous person, requesting his help in finding some rare material only available on this floor. And there was no problem with it, really.

It just felt kinda' awkward to see his best friend in the distance, flirting with his _two_ girlfriends.

Shocker? I know. Apparently, they came to an agreement to share the man, much to the latter's shock and utter assent—of course, he was in his own euphoria ever since, spending all his virtual time with the two women he swore his life to.

To be honest, Nier didn't expect Klein and those two to be there, but oh well. Time to get moving on.

* * *

Floor 22: Coral Village

Back home, however, things were a little bit more quieter than what was really going on.

Everyone were just… sitting there. In the living quarters' living room, not saying anything. The three guys there—Nautilus, Agil and PoH—couldn't understand what caused this, confused.

And then they thought of what happened a week ago.

When Klein had accepted both Rosalia and Yolko into his life, as was the fact that he was now a man with two people that he would protect with all his power, everyone else sans the aforementioned guys, Tatl, Tael and Nier's «Familiars» just watched the whole scene go.

Basically, all the girls that like Nier.

It was funny at first. Just how the same person who came to Nier one day, begging to be taught _the ways_ , was now literally jumping to the moon now that he had achieved his dreams, fully opening up to them and becoming a new man.

The boy, on his part, could not help but find someplace to scream all his frustrations at. How such a stupid thing could actually escalate so much, and yet find a happy ending all the same, confused all the same.

But to the girls though, they felt a piece of them just fade away, gazing upon their leader, who was inspecting the strange 'Boss Drop' he got—an envelope that probably had something interesting.

They all frowned.

Ahh, so that's what's what. Apparently, seeing Klein finally making up with his two lovers made them realise that they had gotten literally nowhere with Nier.

It wasn't that they never tried, though. Every day, they would go out of their way to get his attention and, the single thing that they all failed to get, his affection.

PoH took the time to remember what they did.

'Let's see… Strea made him a cake, Argo flirts with him in the open like it's a Saturday night, Yuna's never stopping short to tell him how much she likes him, and everyone else just do what they always do, huh?' Yup. Their leader really has a problem.

Which, funnily enough, is getting addressed almost every day, unless the situation calls for them to be serious. Of which, then they'd really just forget it all and get down to work.

Right now, all the girls shared the same thought; What to do?

It was obvious. Go to him and say 'I love you'. But would that work?

The world's known at this point, they know at this point, and the subject of their thoughts known it since he was born; he's not good at understanding himself and others, so he might interpret what they're saying at him in a completely different way.

Damn it, it was really annoying! And… hard to say, really. Looks like they're at a loss for words as well.

What to say to the one boy who was the same person that saved them from themselves, from this game, and from everything else that would have ended up with them being dead?

They… honestly don't know.

They can try all they want, but they knew. Oh ho ho, they knew. He wouldn't get it.

"So…" Began a deflated Lisbeth as she lazily stared up at the ceiling, trying to count sheep. "What do you girls all have in mind?"

"I don't know," admitted the usually chirpy Argo, who looked dead at the moment. "I mean, none of it is gonna' work, yeah?"

"So true…" Sighed Yuna, who had her hat on her lap as she sat on the couch, hugging it close to her chest, feeling warmth from it. "Maybe we need a different approach?"

"Like it would work…" Retorted Philia, who felt somewhat comfortable, despite talking about the love of her life with her rivals. "You know how he is."

*Sigh…*

The boys of the group could not help but wonder as to what their leader was doing right now.

* * *

Meanwhile

*Shing!*

Nier sent his «Binary» flying through the air in several spins, watching as the blade cut into the plant-like «Garish Gerbera» littered everywhere around him, easily destroying them and forcing them to shatter into a myriad of colours, looking alike to the tinted glass from the church.

The blade boomeranged back at him, with its wielder easily catching it before sheathing it.

So far, nothing exactly had really been what he needed.

It was a rare item that was supposedly needed to craft some weird thing that his client needed, designed to raise the 'Strength' stat by a generous 10 points.

In all honesty, that was a pretty nice deal. Although, if only he could get it quicker though… He really wants to get back and just sleep on it.

*Krkaa!*

"Hmm?" Turning around, he deftly sidestepped the sudden slash from the «Killer Mantis» behind him, which had its entire focus on the young player. He just smirked. "Maybe you have what I need."

Sensing the killing intent from the creature, he quickly parried the attack with «Binary», before unleashing a «Horizontal» at the insect-like monster, easily killing it in just one blow.

Putting away his weapon, he checked his inventory… only to find a strange-looking stone object sitting there, with yellow accents along the surface.

He grinned wider now.

"Bingo," whistled the player as he closed his inventory now, thinking of the quickest way back to the 'Teleport Gate' while avoiding the three lovebirds enjoying their time on the floor.

It would be pretty awkward if they saw him, really.

'Hmm?' For so long a time, he could already feel the ever-faint distortion of the fabric of this world around him, and he knew what was to come.

*Tk.*

"You know, you could have just called my name," he sighed when he felt a hand tapping on his shoulder, prompting him to turn around, face-to-face with a familiar person he knew. "And can't I just call you something? It's really weird to not have a true identity for you, you know."

"I know. But this is what he wishes for, and thus both I and my friend shall stand by his decision until he says otherwise," replied the smiling man.

"Fine… But when all of this is over, and whoever you're referring to says that you guys are finally getting a name, please do tell me. I'm getting a headache just to call you 'you'," once more sighed the player, receiving a chuckle from the man.

"I promise you, Nier. It won't be long now… I think," he added after a short pause, the boy deadpanning at him. "In any case, I just wanted to know your thoughts on the matter."

"What matter? I don't really see anything so important that you came to me from that strange dimension of yours just to ask me," replied the player as he looked at the fields stretched out before him, such a beautiful display.

It was strange. For some reason, their writer had willed them to spare the boy of any memory-clearing spells, thus allowing him to retain all his knowledge and memory of the dimension.

He supposed it was fine. It wasn't like they became enemies, or something.

In fact, it was actually quite nice. To not have to constantly reintroduce himself each time the 'Protagonists' step foot into their strange home.

"Well, I'm just curious as to what you think about Klein's current situation," easily said the man, before the younger boy finally understood, adopting a softer tone and a happy smile.

"I'm happy for him, to be honest. He's had it tough, what with all the dangers that this world has to offer. I guess any happiness is really hard to get, and should really be cherished," then his smile faded into nothing, replaced now with a frown. "Nothing is certain."

It was logic, was it not? The probability of something happening was akin to a dice roll.

His friends could be alive, laughing with him as they ate dinner, sharing stories over what happened during the day as the girls take turns to feed him—it was really strange, to be honest, but it was admittedly nice.

And on one part of the coin… Their names on the «Monument of Life», located in the «Black Iron Palace» on the first floor, would be omitted, signifying their passing.

It was scary. Probability; what was indeed a subject taught to most students during Math class could ultimately be the deciding factor to someone's life.

He felt his spine shiver at the thought, knowing that there could be any time when he would not be able to say goodbye to someone he knew, watching as their virtual self shatter into polygons—just as every monster they had duelled thus far has—lost forever.

But then he felt strength, clenching his fist as he adopted a more ascertained self. He had a power that he could use to protect everyone he cared about. No one would die, and he would see them all in the real world once more, whether Kayaba liked it or not.

Talking about Kayaba, he was busy signing papers in his room without a care until he received another stack from his messenger, watching him bow and leaving the room… Before he just groaned out loud.

Today was going to be a _long_ day for the guy.

Back to our 'Protagonist' once more, he was seen walking side-by-side with the mysterious entity, speaking with him about the upcoming boss fight.

"«The Skull Reaper», you say? Well, isn't that something…" There was a lack of confidence when the boy spoke the boss's name, but hid it well. "Is he large?"

"Quite so. I'd say he's the largest monster after, well… Actually, that isn't necessary," he shook his head, piquing the boy's interest. 'Kayaba is their enemy, after all. It's not like they'll be fighting against «An Incarnation of the Radius».'

It did not exist in the game's files, so there was nothing to worry.

"In any case, milord, do you perhaps have time for a little chat? Unless you'd like to get back home quick, that is," asked the man.

"Mmm, not really," the boy shook his head with a hum. "Our policy is that we'll deliver to our clients whatever they want by nightfall. Until then, I think I'm good to stay outside."

"Really? Well, that's good then. See, there's something else that caught my attention, and I just wanted your thoughts on the matter," he said.

"Again?" Nier raised a brow.

"Again," confirmed the entity with a chuckle. "But anyways, it somewhat has something to do ever since your friend became a man."

"Hey, don't say that. Countless guys out there may not have girlfriends too, and you're not going to call them a man?" The boy laughed, finding humour in the man's words.

"Sorry, sorry, I merely jest. But really, it's just that, don't you intend to find a girlfriend yourself?" He asked, getting the boy's attention.

That actually caught him by surprise, indicated by how his eyes slightly widened. And then they narrowed a bit, gaze looking down. Enough times seeing him do that meant that the was definitely thinking about it, considering the man's words and turning it in his mind to make sense, and possibly find an answer.

Nier honestly didn't see what was so important about getting a girlfriend. Isn't the true premise of this game was to finish it and get out? He could just focus on love once he gets out.

Unfortunately, he wasn't at all sure as to how long he and the others would truly remain here, so to partake in intimate relationships didn't necessarily sound all that bad… until that small part of his mind decided to 'remind' him that there were no one that actually likes him romantically.

An obvious lie, considering that every girl he's around would kill just for a moment with him, but you know lah.

To be brutally honest, he… doesn't really care. If it comes, then it comes. If he's fated to a life with just his family, so be it. He had no complaints.

That was just how it goes, right? Not everything comes to your lap as you hope it does. There's times when some good things happen, and the other the bad. So yeah, he doesn't necessarily care.

As if reading his thoughts, the man gave a nod of understanding.

"…You just read my mind, didn't you?" Deadpanned the young player, getting a shrug and a smile in response.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," chuckled the being, with a sigh being his own reply. "Well, as far as I can tell, you're right about what you thought—"

"See! You read my mind!" He shouted.

"And thus," he continued, ignoring the boy's outburst. "I think you're absolutely fine to take it as it is. But shouldn't you just try and go for it?"

"Hah. Me? Going for it? Please, I could do almost nothing," snickered the player, looking away as he just grinned away.

"Really? Well, I can give countless examples when you've done such a thing, but the best one was when you saved Shuvi," and that got an immediate response from the boy, taking form in him snapping his head in the man's direction, looking utterly taken aback. "Surprised? Worry not, I won't say anything to anyone. You have my word, milord."

"…Good," sighed the boy, biting the inside of his cheek. "She's family. I don't want people to take her away from me."

It was a cold harsh truth that would have become reality if they knew about her.

Humans were extremely greedy, curious little things. Anything that wasn't explicitly human was looked upon as something alien, something that needed to be researched. To be _understood_. And to that extent, they would do anything to get to the bottom of their biology, the chemistry, the psychology and other things.

In every sci-fi video game, that was exactly how the machina were treated. Tested and experimented on, constantly monitored by the higher-ups. Then there was a novel he found from his mother's library describing of a half-human subjugated to extremely tests, to the point where the scientists themselves were the monsters.

So he promised himself to protect his sister, making it his mission to never let anyone to know about her, no matter what.

It was cruel, yes, to keep her isolated from the world. But the only reason his family continued to do so was because she herself was comfortable being with just him and their parents.

Plus, she wasn't really a peoples-person anyways.

"Ever the loving person you are. Not because you're selfish, but because you're being kind," the man chuckled in admiration, knowing enough by now that the boy and everyone that he's met so far have been doing everything they've been doing for the good sake of those around them.

"What are you talking about? I don't think I am," he sighed in denial. "She probably wanted to be free, but I'm basically forcing her down."

"Do you really think so, Nier? Perhaps, in the back of her mind, she really does want to remain with you," he says in assurance. "Think about it. Her time here in the human world began with her forced to encounter such scum, and you were the first person to have actually tried to help her."

"Maybe some others have helped her even before me, you know," there was a scoff, but an uncertain one at that.

"Mmm, alright. We'll leave it at that," the man nodded. "In any case, I still think that you should at least try to get a girlfriend. You won't know just how nice it would be, you know."

Immediately, he took his leave, distorting the game world and allowing the broadcasts to play once more—he had momentarily disabled it to keep his identity secret from the masses.

And the boy, finding himself alone once more, decided to get back. The earlier, the better.

* * *

Later—Floor 22: Coral Village

*Creak…*

"Hmm?" Yui perked up as she saw their leader open the door, walking in and dragging his feet across the floor to his room. There was a yawn from him, a clear indication that he had been out for too long, and probably did more than necessary. "Nier, are you fine?"

"Yeah, it's nothing… Just give me a bit of time to rest and I'll be back up in a jiffy…" Nodded the boy as he opened the door to his room, closing it behind him. Another yawn could be heard from the other side.

" **Jeez. We should seriously send someone to go with him whenever he** **'** **s doing these requests things. He looks like a fish out of water,** **"** casually remarked the white fairy as she flew into the room, her brother trailing just behind her.

"True… Oh yeah, do you guys know where Shagaru and Bahamut are?" The ravenette asked, wondering as to where her leader's «Familiars» had gone off to.

" **Probably flying around the area. You could hear them from a** **—"** The black fairy's words were cut off—

*…Rhoa..!*

By the distant roars of a certain «White Wyrm», followed up with another growl from his fellow draconic mob.

"… **That,** **"** the white fairy finished with a deadpanning tone.

"Oh, okay then. Guess there's nothing to be worried about," smiled the little girl as she decided on what to make Nier for when he gets up. 'Maybe tea… It is his favourite drink, after all.'

* * *

As opposed to the calm world that made up the reality, or fittingly the 'in-game reality'…

"…" There was little to no sounds that accompanied him, forcing him to come to his surroundings, and yet finding himself in a strange world of pitch black. "Huh..?"

This was not the world of which he came before this. The ever-familiar entities that constantly referred to him as 'milord' were absent. Not even the cobble throne of which the human-like being would sit upon was there.

Instead, this was a vast space of absolute nothingness, bland and lifeless, compared to the surprisingly nicer dimension that his two acquaintances live in.

Here, however, it was just… him. Alone, and somehow able to stand on literally nothing. There couldn't be air here.

'Wait a minute… Wasn't I sleeping? Yeah, that's got to be it,' he concluded, before finally speaking out loud. "I'm dreaming."

But, as far as he's concerned, this is the strangest dream he could ever have. Just him alone in such a wide and open space, with literally nothing on him—though he did have his regular cloak and armour.

Deciding that standing here like an idiot would no doubt be the worst possible choice for him, he tried to move forwards.

And, to be honest, there were two things that he felt at this exact moment. For one, he was happy that he could move, but two… Where would he go?

That single question forced his brain to wrack up several answers, though ultimately decided that walking in a single direction forwards would the best course of action for now, unless things somehow become more interesting, where then he would investigate the area.

For now, he decided to walk forwards.

…

He had been walking for God knows how long now.

However, this was just a dream, so there was no need to worry about getting tired and the like. It seems that he'll be able to keep this up for as long as he wishes it so.

Then it came to him. This was extremely annoying, to the point where it spurred him into a jog, before finally breaking into a run in just one direction, deciding that he'd rather cut to the chase, quite literally, of this entire scenario.

All he wanted was to just get some answers.

What was this dream? Why was he here? Is there some special reason that he was here?

Sure, this could be just a pointless dream, but to him, every single one held a meaning. A… _purpose_ , if you will. There should no reason for one to dream of something if it had no meaning.

Plus, he was in «Sword Art Online». It should be impossible to be dreaming in the first place, shouldn't it?

Then, as if his dream finally decided to answer his question, a familiar-looking book manifested a distance away from where he was now.

"Well, it's something or nothing, I suppose," he decided, running faster now.

It was a minute before he finally arrived at his location, slowing down and eyeing the thick tome on the book curiously. Wait a minute, isn't that the book he got from the beings that one time?

"I… read it, before our fight with «Odogaron»," he recalled seeing the book before, and he still had it in his inventory. "But why is it here now?"

Wanting to just pick it up, he felt a presence, some _one_ staring at him from the back, prompting him to turn around, head snapping quickly in that direction. And yet, all there was that met the eyes was the boring same old white landscape, making him feel uncomfortable.

Ironic. Feeling uncomfortable in one's dream, which is usually described to be one's haven.

Knowing that it would be rather foolish to let the paranoia toy with him, he picked up the tome, flipping its pages. The messy bunch of words and sentences littered everywhere on the pages of the book was still there, though there was something different about it now.

"Huh?" Blinking, he decided to take a look at one of the sentences… and realised now that the very pages were flipping to the very front page. "Wait, why is…"

But even before he could get the answer to his initial question, he felt his mind suddenly start to waver, flooding him with the images of something… A memory.

His vision whitened.

* * *

The Final Day—Floor 100: Ruby Palace

XX:XX AST (Aincrad Standard Time)

"Huh? Wait, what?" Nier suddenly felt his world shift around him, taking him to a strange scenery that felt all too strange. He jolted from what felt like a dive into the system, like the first time he logged into the game, standing in the middle of wherever the heck he was that had him wondering what the actual heck was going on. "What the..?"

This was really strange. And that's saying a lot, seeing that this whole game had lost all sense of balance and logic since the very beginning.

Is this his memory? Can't be. The boy prided himself for possessing an intellect beyond any capable human's, possibly rivalling the brainiacs that lived before him, and knew that his memories were still as intact as ever.

So he was absolutely sure that he had never been here. Not at all.

If anything, this… sort of feels like this would be an area on another floor.

He had this feeling because, so far, he had never come across such a place, let alone hear of it being reported by the other players or Argo, whom he knew was the most informative person he ever knew. The _best_ information broker, even if her personality doesn't help at times.

When he turned around on the spot he was standing, he released a large gasp.

Nier was taken aback by the sight beholden. Beautiful, grand, possessing no true base to compare its beauty to anything else. As a whole, it would have possibly costed millions, _trillions_ if need be, to have been built, let alone the strange setting of this area.

They always said that the sky was the limit, and standing here now, he had never thought that it was all the more truer. The tip of the castle almost touched it, the endless blue, as clouds formed rings around the red building, and gardens surrounding it with a short bridge that lead to the entrance, countless streams of water around the gardens.

Wait a minute…

"I've read about this, haven't I..?" He thought to himself, suddenly remembering that strange book he had on him. "Ahh, right… It mentioned 'Ruby Palace', even connecting this to the hundredth floor…"

So was this floor one-hundred? The very last floor that existed for all the players to siege at the end of the game? To beat the final boss and ultimately be free from this virtual reality.

It sounded far too good to be true, yet when he laid his gaze upon this place, half of his mind told him that this was indeed the stage for such a thing. That there was no 'ifs', but this _is_ it.

*Tk… Tk… Tk…*

"Well well well, if it isn't the quote unquote 'Protagonist' of this world," the boy felt himself jump slightly as a new voice broke the previous silence, prompting him to turn around…

And came face to face with two strange figures, possessing red and green hair respectively—and their eye colours being that of the other's hair colour—grinning at him dangerously, emitting a dangerous killing intent that Nier could feel from where he stood.

The boy unconsciously took a step back, wondering why he felt so off edge despite this being just a dream… right?

"Brother, you don't think he came here by his own will now, did he?" The one with green hair asked, the other one giving a shake of the head.

"I highly doubt it. Man have, and never would be capable of achieving such a feat," the red-haired one spat, the sound of loathing present in his tone. "Besides, we locked away this area. There's no way he got here."

"Hmm, true…" Hummed the other brother before returning his attention to the boy. "Forgive us, imperfection. We merely indulged ourselves in a short conversation while you stood there, babbling like the retardation you are."

'Ouch… They really don't like humans, it seems…' The boy sweat-dropped, actually feeling the metaphorical knife stabbing him in the chest. "Where am I?"

"Aaah, immediately questioning us right as you arrive here? The audacity!" Huffed the one with red hair before just shaking his head with a shrug. "Then again, I suppose pathetic fools like you—"

"At least I'm not one trying to belittle the other race," Nier shot back, the other two brothers just looking at him with amusement. "You can try to say all that you want, but in the end you're the ones incomplete. And yes, I _know_ what this place is. 'Ruby Palace'."

"Rather rhetorical for you to be asking us if you already know, aren't you?" Snorted the green one. "Humans are such fickle things. Undoubtedly stupid too. I just don't understand how such a weak and aloof race of sex-craving spawn can actually survive for so long."

'These guys must probably be _not_ human…' The boy deduced from their countless badmouthing of said race.

If so… would be it crazy to call them NPC's? Better yet, judging by the advanced mentality that which these two possessed, going so far as to hold strange conversations and actually responding him in a way more 'human' than most, it would be fitting to refer to these two as a pair of narcissistic A.I.'s.

Seriously though, it had been fine to be in this dream up until these two showed up. And with that attitude? Nuh-uh, girl. He ain't having it.

That thought in mind, Nier prepared a steady counter in his mind, ready to release it upon these two.

Let's see how they like it when they taste their own medicine.

"You look like you want to say something, dog. Go on, we won't bite," snickered the red-haired one, proving to be much more vicious with his words.

Instead of falling into a rage-induced tantrum, as most weak-spirited people would probably be doing—something of which Nier had been most used to seeing being portrayed in most anime that he watched—he just decided to play it off with a sigh.

"I have nothing to say, to be honest. But since you asked for it, I suppose I can entertain you," the human shrugged, almost with a condescending smile he had picked up after watching PoH for a long time—never did he think _he_ _'_ _d_ be doing it, of all things—as he looked at the two. "Then again, being programmed like that just means how inferior you are, after all. You were created by the same _imbeciles_ you refer to, so doesn't that make you even lower than the low?"

His words were dressed with pure coldness, the frosted tongue belonging to that of a poisonous man. A persona he had practiced from encountering so many «Bloody Coffin» members that even he felt was scary when he actually played the part of it.

And yet, he was more than happy to say that the effect he wanted was what he just got.

The two stared at him, dropping their smiles, and suddenly everything around them felt cold. Gone was the snickering mocks, now replaced with two slowly-growing-angrier people born out of nothing but codes.

"My, did I hit a soft spot for you two idiots? Hah… then again, I shouldn't have expected anything lesser from you both," the boy continued his mock, touching his forehead with his right hand. "You both can say whatever you want about humans, but know that in the end, we're far superior than you could ever be. Know your place."

"…Don't you think about saYING THAT TO US!" Suddenly, the red one's words turned into a full shout, almost jolting the boy out of his boots if he didn't keep his poker face up.

And truth be told, that was actually quite darn scary, but he couldn't show it in front of these two.

"Please, if anything, I _do_ have the right for such a thing. I mean, compared to how you've been spitting on our race, it shouldn't be too bad to call you both…" Then the next word that left his lips truly blew a fuse. "Worthless."

*BzzZZZ!*

Blinking, his smirk now slowly turning into a confused smile, all he could was watch as the green-haired brother pull out what seemed to be… wait a minute, is that..?

A quick look at the weapon told him everything that he needed to know. Like some strange artefact out of a fantasy book, Nier related this weapon to his own «Monado», except this one was way more, in the words of PoH and Klein, 'badass', had streaks of hot pink in the centre with blue lights flickering on the surface, and metallic protrusions from the blade.

And right now, the person looked mad as heck. Clearly not a good sign.

"Someone will put you in your place, scum, and I'll be the one to do such a thing," scowled the green-haired person before he suddenly ran at the boy.

Quickly, Nier equipped himself with his own «Monado»—taking a short moment to think how that was even possible—and parried the incoming attack, flicking the blade away before kicking the guy in the chest, sending him back.

Activating «Monado: Speed», the boy felt his being turn as light as feather, easily dodging the incoming attacks, all fuelled by the seething anger of the person.

When Nier managed to parry the next attack, he readied himself to cut the man down—

*Shing!*

"Huh?" The boy blinked at the sight before him. "Oh, shoot!"

Quickly, he jumped out of the way, eyeing the distinctly large blue sword, with pink accents along the blade, resting in the red-haired one's grip, helping his brother up. The blade had a large gap in the area where the metal was supposed to be, now filled with plasma.

'Well, that isn't good..!' Gulped the sole person fighting against the two brothers, taking notice of the way they were now approaching him, giving him the looks of a carnivore. "Two on one, huh? Only shows how weak you are without the other."

"Stop talking, brat. You're only going to make this even more painful than it already is," spat the green-haired one, rushing ahead.

Activating «Monado: Purge», the boy let loose a ranged ether blast at his incoming aggressor, taking on the weapon with his own and clashing it together, knocking him back with a powerful sword swing before needing to avert his attention to the other person—

*Clank!*

Feeling the weight of his attack actually pushing him slightly backwards, noting the difference in strength between this guy and the other one.

"Hah!" With a shout, Nier knocked the red one away, moving his blade to the side and drawing it in one swift motion, managing to leave a large red slit on the man's body that caused him to hiss. 'Well, I can probably keep this up, but I would seriously like it if I can just wa—'

*Khhh..!*

As if _something_ decided to finally respond to his thoughts…

Still though, he couldn't stop himself from actually gawking at the sight of a three-foot door suddenly popping out from behind him, and a little black-haired girl standing there, carrying a sword and wearing what looked like battle armour, yet designed to be more flexible than anything.

"Go! You need to wake up first!" She cried out, shaking him out of his stupor enough to parry the incoming attack from his back, knocking the redhead backwards.

"Who in the world are—" The green-haired man's words immediately drowned in his throat, turned into a carnivorous snarl that truly welled up from the bottomless pit of his stomach. " _You_..!"

"Looks like they seriously don't like you," the boy commented as he activated a «Monado: Buster», knocking them back and rushing to the door. "Thanks."

"Don't worry about it. Now go!" The girl shouted out, and his eyes widened.

Wait a minute, isn't that—

01000011 01001111 01001110 01001110 01000101 01000011 01010100 01001001 01001111 01001110 00100000 01000010 01010010 01000101 01000001 01001011 01001001 01001110 01000111 00100000 01000101 01010011 01010100 01000001 01000010 01001100 01001001 01010011 01001000 01001001 01001110 01000111 00100000 01010010 01000101 01000011 01001111 01001110 01001110 01000101 01000011 01010100 01001001 01001111 01001110 00100000 01000110 01000001 01001001 01001100 01010101 01010010 01000101 00100000 01010010 01000101 01010001 01010101 01000101 01010011 01010100 01001001 01001110 01000111 00100000 01010011 01001000 01010101 01010100 01000100 01001111 01010111 01001110 00111010 00100000 01001101 01001000 01000011 01010000 00110000 00110000 00110001

* * *

"…GhhHAAA!" Nier jolted right awake on his bed, cold sweat pouring down his avatar as his arms shook, clutching his heart and feeling it beat faster than a professional drummer.

What was that..? What happened back there? Who was she even? What did he do? When did he wake up?

Thousands of questions formed from a whirlpool that took form in the back of his mind, tossing logic and rationality everywhere, like rag dolls. His own breaths came out too fast, too uncontrolled that his entire face grew red.

" **Nier! Are you alright?!** **"** Tael was the first to fly down to him, with everyone else soon circling him.

" **What the hell, Nier? You just woke up screaming!** **"** And though Tatl sounded annoyed to most, there was no mistaking the soft concern hidden in her voice.

*Khra?*

Even his «Familiars» had looks of concern, with Bahamut and Shagaru climbing onto his bed and trying to calm him down by patting his back with their wings.

"Nier, did anything..?" Yui didn't finish her sentence before the boy's head hung low, looking down as he tried to calm his inner storm, panting so hard that one would have thought that he came back from a marathon.

That person… He may not have been able to call out to her as he stepped through the portal, but there was a clear fact about her that certainly set all of his nerves off edge…

That was _Yui_ he saw.

The very same girl trying to calm him down, help him just think clearly again.

He didn't know what to say… Those two people, it felt more like a foreshadowing for what was to come, rather than just some cheap dream sequence formed to make him feel like a hero.

That was the 'Ruby Palace', and those two beings certainly played a role there. And why was Yui, of all people, in there?

One thing's for certain, though… Things weren't going to be as he thought it would, and he knew that this was just a scratch of the surface.

Looks like he'd be better watch out. The world was truly alternated for the random.

* * *

The Next Day

Ever since what happened last night, Nier requested for a bit of alone time, keeping to himself in his room and locking the doors and windows, and just staying there and…

Staring at the book.

He hummed, tapping his fingers against his study. Could he really try to understand it? Everything in there made zero sense, and it really worried him.

What if it triggered a chain reaction that would ultimately result in the deaths of everyone? Or, worse yet, somehow crash the game and forever trap the players in this death world, unable to meet their families ever again. And just the thought of going back to that dreamscape just…

He didn't know anymore. He wasn't scared, that much was certain. He was just cautious now.

Needless to say, all his answers to whatever questions he had piling up in his mind was inside the book, and he would need to thoroughly read through it to find the answers he wanted.

It was either this or nothing.

Sighing, he decided to take it with him, unlocking the door to his room and walking out.

"I suppose the others would be worried if I stay inside for too long… Might as well try to get some fresh air," he said to no one in particular, sending a message to Asuna to tell her that he was going out for a spell. "Okay then! Where to?"

* * *

Meanwhile

*Ting!*

"Hmm?" Asuna raised her head from when she was staring down at her feet, noticing the message notification ringing. And it came from Nier, no less.

Operating the menu, she opened the message.

' _From: Nier,_

 _Sorry for worrying you and the others like that. Don_ _'_ _t worry, I_ _'_ _m fine now. I just need some time to think about something. I_ _'_ _ll be back for dinner, though, promise._

 _To: Asuna_ _'_

The lass sighed in relief, happy that there was nothing wrong with their leader… though something was still bugging her.

What was it that made her feel so uncertain? Maybe it was dumb to even think about it, but the nagging feeling that something was incredibly wrong was there. She couldn't shake it off even if she wanted to.

"So Asuna," she looked to Agil, who had a Cor in his hand. "Did Nier say anything?"

"Huh? O-Oh, yeah. He said that he was going to go out for a while. Just to get his thoughts together, or something," replied their 'Vice Commander', getting a sigh from Argo.

"Man… What is even going on in that boy's head?" Muttered the whiskered assassin / information broker, sounding slightly less chirpy than usual.

"Well, let the kid be. Some things, a man's gotta' do on his own, ya' know?" Commented Klein, who was trying to sound optimistic, but earned a jab to the shoulder by Philia. "Oww! What was that for?!"

"No reason," replied the orange-haired girl as she turned away from the maroon-haired man, the latter's jaws falling apart.

"You know… Maybe I didn't tell you guys or anything," and all the attention was diverted towards the little ravenette, the sole NPC girl of the guild, who had a concerned expression on her features. "But… something happened to Nier last night, while we were sleeping."

"What do you mean?" Liz asked, curious

"W-Well… It's a bit of a story, so bear with me," sighed the girl. "It was like as always. We got ready for bed, we already fell asleep, and stuff like that. Nier…"

She had told them about everything that transpired yesterday, about how he had went to bed earlier that afternoon, utterly exhausted by whatever he was doing—probably some extra training. That night, she and the other A.I.'s just joined him, barely an hour later before he suddenly woke up screaming, looking like he had seen a ghost.

So far, the abridged version of the story seemed to make sense, judging by how they all had this understanding look.

"It's just… He's never had a nightmare before, so I'm worried if anything happened to him to bring it up," she concluded at last, hugging her legs close to her chest.

"…As far as I can tell, nothing traumatic happened to him in the time Yuna and I were with him," spoke Klein with a serious expression, feeling that the boy was keeping something from them. He never really tried to hide something from everyone, but it was clear as day that there was something rather fishy going on here.

"Right. No one died or anything, so…" Yuna just sighed, not knowing what else to say. When it came to Nier, she prided herself with the fact that she knew him the best… but now, she felt extremely small, wondering just how big of a mountain his secrets were.

Everyone just hummed in acknowledgement, looking outside the window.

It was a beautiful day, but they couldn't dispel the worry towards their friend.

* * *

Floor 75: Labyrinth

Today was a beautiful day, and Nier didn't know why he was spending the time in the labyrinth, duelling random monsters that crossed his way.

*Clank!* *Shing!*

"Out of the way!" He yelled as he struck down a skeletal guard with his «Binary», downing another two before finishing them off with one powerful swing. Sighing as they all shattered into colourful polygons, he sheathed his weapon and began walking once more.

As always, fighting helped to clear his mind of his thoughts.

Even so, it didn't exactly help to take his mind off the mysterious book, which was currently sitting in his inventory, waiting to be opened.

He clicked his tongue, feeling that his desire to know more of the book's contents was growing to overshadow his rational thoughts.

The corridors ahead stretched a very far distance, way too long for him to continue any further unless he wanted to get lost. Fortunately, he had brought with him a few 'Teleport Crystal', so there was nothing to be worried about.

Seeing no monsters spawning at the moment, he took shelter at one of the 'Safe Zones' of the labyrinth, which was still out in the open. Even so, none shall get past both his «Binary» and «Monado».

And his bow, of course. He wasn't going to forget his trusty partner.

In any case, after settling himself down there, somewhat feeling a sense of nostalgia wash into him despite never having come here in the first place, he pulled out his book and flipped the pages open.

"Jeez… Of all the things that I can be doing, maybe spending time with my friends, I'm here trying to decipher whatever the heck's in this thing…" He chuckled, realising that he sounded pretty stupid. "Oh well, just to make sense of whatever the heck I dreamt of last night."

Each sentence was actually written in a language that could be described as… well, there was a fantasy-like feel to it, which was the main reason why it was so hard to decipher in the first place.

And yet, Nier had been able to piece together some of the more basic sentences after making connections between the order of the letters that came in the first part of the page.

It was like those 'Solve the Mysterious Text' puzzle, with a letter designated to each alphabet. This one, however, did not relate the characters to the alphabets, but he knew which was which because it seemed to have 26 characters in total, and were placed in order from A to Z—he guessed that last part, though it did work.

And from there, all he had to do was mix and match. A bit of trial error here and there, some time trying to make sense of what the whole sentence was trying to say, and voilà!

…Although, it still hurts his head to actually read it in the first place.

After some time, he finally set the book down, sighing as he massaged his temples. So far, he's got only the basic stuff down.

First off, whoever was writing this was definitely a guy, indicated by how Japanese male pronouns were used, hinting at a guy here. Next off, this person spoke of his experience in «Sword Art Online», albeit with many large differences here.

For starters, this person had mentioned something about building a small little cabin down in the dragon's nest in the 'West Mountain'. However, there had been no sightings of such a thing—he had been down there once, after all.

Then, of course, there were mentions of his friends, all of them shown to possess very large differences compared to his current situation. For instance, it is stated here that Asuna had left to become part of the «Knights of Blood», which never happened here. Two, Rosalia had been captured and sent to «Black Iron Palace». Again, different. And three, Klein having joined his initial guild the «Fuurinkazan».

However, there was also the mentions of two little fairies, both black and white respectively. This strange book seemed to strike similarities with his world, but possessed many differences at the same time.

At one point, there was mentions of the person who wrote this weird book about teaching Yui how to fight with a sword. Whoa! That would have been pretty cool to see.

And that brought him back to the dream last night. He _had_ seen a sword strapped to the little girl's black, herself clad in combat armour. Then those two other A.I.'s—he assumed they were A.I.'s at this point, as he had last night—too had been mentioned.

Something about… being the writer's sons?

Nonetheless, Nier was standing at a crossroad, wondering as to what he should do now. Surely, this isn't all there is to it, right?

" _Nier_ ," he perked up, able to hear the human being's voice—the one he had grown so accustomed to meeting, besides his draconic friend—whisper in the back of his mind. " _Be careful. I_ _'_ _m sensing_ _«_ _Bloody Coffin_ _»_ _around you._ "

'…Of course they have to be here,' mentally sighed the boy as he put away the tome, swapping it for his bow now.

One by one came the reborn murderers, whispering death to the boy as they approached him with sheathed estocs and unhidden scowls, swearing murder upon his grave.

Funny. You can't kill a person if they're already in a grave, though.

The rueful joke's effect did not last too long, however, before the boy was then forced to take a defensive stance, ready to counterattack in case any of them tried anything funny against him.

"Well, well," an all-too-familiar voice drawled in a singsong voice, though hinting at a slight disgust towards the boy. "What do we have here?"

"I think the better term to use here, XaXa," Nier, on the other hand, showed no signs of hostility, merely preparing for the worst. "Is _who_ , and not _what_ , since you're referring to another hu—"

"Oh, shut the hell up already!" Snarled the player as he finally stepped in front of all the other members, his mask looking worn out from being overused. "Trying to play genius, each and every goddamned time you're f**ked! And you know what? I commend you, kid. You managed to get our boss away from you, _and_ ruined our other division, leaving just us."

"Look, I didn't… He chose our side by his own will. I never forced him through indoctrination sessions like you guys," sighed the younger player as he backed himself against the wall.

"Well, yeah?! Guess what, punk, we finally got you where we wanted you," and came the full-on laughter of a madman, designed to intimidate just about anyone. "And we're going to have _so much_ fun killing you, we'll hang your head on our prizes section."

 ***Persona 4: Arena** **—** **The Arena, Naked Mix (Play Song)***

"Bring me his f**king head!" Shouted the new leader of the «Bloody Coffin», with all the members rushing down their lone prey. "He'll pay for the destruction he brought upon us «Bloody Coffin»! And I don't care whatever method you'll use, as long as he's dead at the end of the day!"

Hah. Prey.

Without so much as a struggle, Nier easily shot down each player with just one single arrow, adding paralytic poison to the end of each arrow to give a bit of a stun to each of them, forcing them down.

The bow was extremely useful in the case that it never failed to deliver. Plus, in terms of attack speed, he'd say it was the third best, lacking just behind the dagger and rapier. Each pull allowed him to fire two shots since he was so used to it, and he could multi fire in rapid succession such as now if he so wished to.

One of the members got close, forcing him to put an arrow in one hand and slamming his chin with the hard part of his ranged weapon, before stabbing the man's leg with the arrow, getting a scream of pain and causing him to get paralysed.

He blocked each attack without so much difficulty, backpedalling with an arrow raised each time they tried to strike him… at which point he would release his arrow, sniping their weapons and actually _parrying_ their attacks.

It was a design of the game he realised worked if the weapon had enough mass to counteract with the opposing weapon, and thus, he used slightly heavier arrows in these cases.

Slamming away a sword, and crushing the windpipe of his enemy before digging an arrow in the kneecap, he fired away at three incoming swordsmen, watching them drop to the ground like rag dolls, shaking vehemently as they tried to fight their paralysis.

"Damn it! Kill that sh*t already!" Scowled XaXa as he brought out his estoc, with another person getting to his side. "Oi, Johnny. You better help out as well."

"Of course I am. That little brat's gone and done us a hell lot of trouble, getting rid of him is going to make my day," he said as he cracked his neck, bringing out his scimitar.

'Yeah… Not really going to help,' thought the boy as he continued dodging his enemies' attacks, crashing the entire weight of his supposed-to-just-be-ranged weapon against each and every one of them, making sure to paralyse them with his arrow.

And in the meantime, he managed to type a message to his guild, requesting help.

And damn it, if he isn't using proper grammar, he wouldn't know what to do!

Which was the exact reason why he suddenly stopped attacking, all the while moving to the side and more to avoid getting hit, all the while focused on something that was definitely _not_ them.

And when he finally finished sending that, only then did he return to the fight, huffing as he easily parried an attack from Johnny Black.

"F**k, you're such a prick," cursed the man as he forced his weapon to clash against the boy's, who had a passive look on his face.

"I'm not going to even say anything, given that it's just going to be utterly a waste of my breath," replied the boy in a monotonous tone before he willed power into his leg, slamming it at the man's side and knocking his head with his bow, backpedalling to avoid a slash from some random member of the murdering guild.

"Oww! That hurts!" Yelled the killer in obvious anger.

"That's… exactly the point?" The boy tilted his head as he easily cut down his previous attacker's neck with his paralytic arrow, causing him to do drop to the ground. 'Yeesh, these things are so effective… Kinda' scary, actually.'

"Grrhaa!" The boy deftly avoided a swing from XaXa's sword, dodging even more sword swings from the other members of the «Bloody Coffin», ending with him sticking an arrow in their knee or shoulder. "What the hell?! How are you so good at this?!"

"One answer, really," began the boy as he charged up his fist, delivering a powerful jab to one of the attacker's gut and sending him towards a group of other murderers, the force sending all of them down to the ground and out cold. "I swore to keep everyone alive. To that end, I'll do whatever it'll take to achieve just that."

He did a backflip, parrying another weapon strike before striking hard at the aggressor's back, sending him down and giving him enough time to dig an arrow in his back.

He notched an arrow to his bow, firing away at all that were still far away. One by one, they dropped to the ground, stunned and with visible crackles of electricity around their bodies.

Nier brought up his bow in one swift motion, clashing it against XaXa's estoc.

*Ching!* *Crk..!*

"Uh-oh," blinked the boy as he hastily slammed the weapon into the murderer, noticing the very low durability of his weapon. Just a bit more and the thing was going to get shattered into bits..!

"Hrhah!" Thinking that the boy was not going to attack back, he was sorely wrong—

*Ching!*

"Hhrh..!" When Nier suddenly produced his «Binary», the blade dancing in a set pattern as the boy moved his limb, striking exact points of his enemy's weapon before delivering a strong kick to the gut, followed up with a roundhouse kick to the chin. "Krhaaa!"

"XaXa! You sick fu—" Johnny didn't even finish his sentence before Nier suddenly broke air resistance and appeared before him in less than a second, delivering a strong strike to his chest with a «Vertical», cutting his health bar faster than the bow. "Damn it! Hold still!"

"No," he shook his head.

The man snarled, trying very desperately to get a hit on the boy. Even so, the younger player still managed to bring up his sword to deflect his attacks. Activating a «Slant» didn't help, as the «Blank» seemed to have predicted his next move and dodged out of the way.

One final push. Johnny Black rushed towards the player, sword ready to kill. The boy merely shifted his weight to his other foot to avoid a slash aimed for the head, before letting his sword stab into the man's kneecap, before bringing it out and delivering a straight slam to the skull using his own head, sending him into a daze.

And, without so much of a warning, he dropped his sword, tackling Johnny to the ground and tying him up with rope he had on him, fast and precise his movement was that the man did not know what had happened.

It was only after the boy gagged him did he finally realise what just happened.

Thanks for the help, Argo. _Really_ appreciated it.

And no, that was not sarcasm. That was hone—

*Thunk!* *Clank!*

Feeling a heightened murdering intent pulsating from behind him, the boy was quick to retrieve his weapon, backhanding XaXa's weapon and, using the «Outside System Skill» 'Arms Blast' to completely decimate his opponent's weapon, before finally knocking the wind out of him with a merciless heel to the windpipe, followed up with a double cut to the face, leaving red slits on the skin.

"D-Damn it..!" Cursed the man as his health bar almost reached the red zone, sent to the ground with one final kick to the shin.

"Time to finish this…" The boy muttered as he spun on his heels, his coat flapping along with that single movement, sensing the incoming wave of enemies.

*Thud!*

 ***Persona 4: Arena** **—** **The Arena, Naked Mix (End Song)***

* * *

"I'll admit, that battle was way too quick and _not_ all that heated," casually remarked the boy as he looked at the remaining members of «Bloody Coffin», all of whom were stunned. Luckily, the effect would last long enough so that his guild members would get here. "Fighting players is way too easy."

"F-F**k… You'll get your own hell someday, brat…" Spat the masked player, feeling the piece of accessory being cut by one swift slice from the boy, causing it to shatter, revealing his large eyes that quivered with shock.

"Careful now, XaXa. I really don't want to kill you, or anyone for that matter, but I don't intend to let you run your tongue any longer," the boy said back, not even possessing poison in his words, sheathing his sword and stabbing the man's back with one of his arrows, getting a scream of pain and successfully paralysing him. "As Klein has told me, ladies don't like that in a man."

And when his guild got there, all of them were taken aback to see all the members of the murderous guild on the floor, paralysed. And their leader, busy reading the tome he always carried around with him, smiling as he turned his attention to them.

That day was indeed a day to be celebrated. For it was finally the true shut-down of the previously known «Laughing Coffin», locked away for the days to come.

For it was the day that Nier's popularity skyrocketed, so high that it should have been practically impossible at this point, and that he had to avoid the towns yet again for the incoming days, making sure that no one would find him lest he be subjected to the screaming fans.

For it was also the day that he strengthened his desire to fulfil self-promise. That he was going to fight to save everyone.

Then again, everyone already knew that about him.

* * *

That Night—Real World

"Nii," Shuvi turned around, noticing a sleepy-looking Shiro rubbing her eyes. "Can Shiro go to sleep..?"

"Of course you can, Shiro. I'll be there soon enough," nodded the older twin, with her younger sister making a nod before walking up the stairs to find her room.

After she was out of earshot, a visible frown could be seen on the Prüfer's face.

Why was it that her brother suddenly woke up screaming that morning? Did something bad happen to him? Because if something did, there was nothing to go off from.

The topic had sparked rapid interest amongst the masses, all concerned for the boy's safety. Thankfully, her mother had been successful in calming them down, though difficult it had been.

What was it that really got him to scream like that? It must have been serious, or downright terrifying… What could he have been going through?

Shuvi sighed, wishing that she was in that death game with her brother to help him. She would have fried everyone with the magical capabilities that came with being a Prüfer, though weak as it was—still, it was far more dangerous than what man could ever be capable of, so that was saying a lot.

Unfortunately, she probably wouldn't even be able to do that, as she would be in an avatar that had no such ability, thus rendering her into a normal girl.

For some reason, that thought actually made her feel somewhat happy. It would mean that she'd get to go out of the house with her brother and sister, not needing to worry what the people would think about her, even in a virtual avatar in a virtual world.

"Oh well… Nur will get through it, I know it," she nodded to herself in assurance, sparing one last glance at Nier through the television. "Goodnight, dear brother."

And then she was off.

* * *

"…Nngh?" Nier felt the world around him far too dark to actually be seeing anything.

Luckily, he had been here enough times to know where he was. The exact same dimension he always went to go meet up with the two powerful beings.

This time, however, it seemed that he came here without actually needing to take a physical door. He's supposed to be asleep at this point, so feeling refreshed instantly must mean that he's dreaming all this, and they pulled his consciousness into a dream manifestation of their home.

His back could feel something soft, as if he was lying on a bed right now. Sitting up, he was indeed right to say that he was on a bed.

"Ah, you're awake," the boy turned to his right, seeing the man smiling happily as he sat on the throne. "Come, please. We have much to talk to you about."

Knowing that there was absolutely nothing else to do here, added with the fact that it would have been incredibly rude not to oblige, he got off the bed and made his way to the man, lowering himself and finding himself sitting on a chair.

"Thanks," he turned to the black dragon.

" **It is of no problem, milord,** **"** nodded the grinning wyvern.

"So, anything you need to tell me?" Asked the boy as he crossed his arms.

"Some things, yes. To begin with, your dream the night prior," at the mention of his dream, the boy noticeably flinched, now fully awake. "Peace, milord. What you experienced that night… It is more safe to say that it was the memory of another person. Or, more specifically, a memory that has now been altered beyond recognition."

"That… was someone else's memory?" The boy tilted his head, sounding surprised.

"Indeed. It must have been triggered when you picked up the book I gave to you in that dream," sighed the man. "I will admit, I was the one who activated it in you. Just to give a glimpse of what was to come."

"Wait, I'm going to be meeting those two offensive people again? Seriously..?" The boy groaned, not wanting to deal with those two again. The beings chuckled.

" **Unfortunately, it will have to be that way,** **"** the dragon nodded.

"Uurgh, fine… If it can't be avoided, I suppose," nodded the young monochromatic-haired teenager before he spoke once more. "Although, there's something that I don't quite understand."

" **And what** **'** **s that?** **"** Asked the dragon in confusion.

"See… When I was reading the book you guys gave to me, the person was talking a lot about all my friends. It was like he knew them. No, it was more accurate to say that he was probably writing down all his memories in those pages," he shook his head. "You once mentioned that others have lived before me. Is this one of those people?"

Aah. Quite deceptive. Far sharper than a fine knife, able to see just about everything.

At that, both man and dragon could not help but chuckle.

"You're right, you are. And props to you for actually figuring that out," the man clapped.

" **Neither of us actually thought that you** **'** **d remember that little piece of information,** **"** admitted the dragon, as they had actually erased his memory about that. Maybe it came back to him? **"** **But yes, this person had existed in an entirely different** **«** **Sword Art Online** **»** **world before you have.** **"**

"There's a lot of things that have been strange and different compared to what I'm going through right now. Though the person did say that he had fairy friends. Tael and Tatl there," nodded the boy. "Maybe the person referred to in the inscriptions on the pillars of the dungeon beneath the 'Black Iron Palace' was him?"

The beings looked at each other, and—instead of smiling—they sighed in unison.

"Right. The fairies' friend was indeed him. However, he…" The man coughed into his fist right after. "Forgive me, Nier, but—"

"You can't tell me anything because it would be a breach of privacy and the like. Don't worry, I understand," nodded the boy in understanding. "So tell me. This dream of mine. Was that merely a simulation of what is, or a true calibration of my mind with whatever world that was?"

The two beings shared another look, this time a look of amusement on each other's faces before they turned to the human once more.

"And you're right about that. I connected your cognition to that of the world that has ultimately become this world's own, and thus, what you experienced was actually an acceleration into the future through your sleep," he explained, getting a few blinks from the teenager, getting another laughter. "Don't worry, it's not all that complicated."

" **Basically you just entering the future of this timeline,** **"** the dragon summarized, getting an understanding 'Ohh!' from the lad.

"Well, that's easier to understand, thank you. In any case, is there anything else that you'd like to talk to me about?" He asked.

" **No, that is all. Forgive us for disturbing your night** **'** **s sleep,** **"** the dragon said as he lowered his head a bit.

"Pfft, it's fine, guys. Have a good night," he bode the two beings farewell, walking past a door that the man erected, leaving the two of them alone once more.

Silence reigned once more, with either beings not really saying anything.

Until the man spoke up once more.

"Although…" And his head turned slightly to the right, grinning slightly. "It's not really _just two_ people, right?"

"Not too discreet, huh? Haha, sorry about that."

"They're so close now."

"Nier…" She watched as the monochromatic-haired player hailed as the «Blank» disappeared, wishing for his safety, pointedly ignoring the other two males in the room.

* * *

Two Weeks Later—Floor 75: Labyrinth

After much preparation, the clearing guilds decided that they had enough rest, and were finally going to break through the next floor.

They were now on floor seventy-five, ready to find the boss room and just wreck him. The preparations were done, and everyone was good to go.

*Ching!*

"Yuna! Switch!" Yelled the «Blank» as he stepped to the side, allowing Yuna to activate «Linear» and dash right on through.

*Shing!* *Chh!*

Her weapon utterly destroyed the «Demonic Servant», causing it to implode into a spectrum of colours, brilliant to the eyes.

"Whoo! Nice one!" Klein cheered as he lightly crouched to avoid getting hit in the head by one of those skeletal monsters, not even needing to turn around to see his girlfriends destroy the thing.

"Agreed," Nier nodded in agreement. "Need to rest, Yuna?"

"It's fine, I can keep going," she shook her head, grateful all the same. "And you?"

"I'm feeling good. We'll beat the boss in no time," snickered her crush as he sheathed «Binary», looking at the path ahead.

It was extremely arduous, having to deal with all the monsters spawning around them. However, this was way better than all the guilds going together, which would have been terrible.

Less space to move, meant a higher chance of getting hit.

So, Nier suggested that each guild would break off on their own and arrive at the boss room to wait for the other guilds. Even Heathcliff agreed with the idea.

And so, here the «Blank» was, keeping together and easily fending off the monsters that spawned around them.

With help from Nier, their training had been extremely fruitful, allowing them to gain levels faster than they ever thought possible, putting them close to level eighty-three, while their leader is ever a lot of steps ahead—he's level ninety-two.

As to be expected of him.

"Strea, ahead of you," said the boy.

"Right!" Nodded the girl as she pulled out her purple sword, letting loose a battlecry before activating «Vertical», cleaving the «Demonic Servant» in multiple pieces before breaking it apart with just one more strike. "Hhaa… Done."

"Nice one," grinned the player as he gave her a thumbs-up.

"It was nothing," she shook her head, still happy at the compliment though.

*Grhaa.*

Bahamut and Shagaru returned, telling their master something. The way he nodded seemed to indicate that he understood them.

"I see… Thanks for scouting ahead for us, guys," then the boy directed his attention to his guild, all of whom looked back at him. "Looks like we've got trouble ahead. Anyone need to prep first?"

"Nah, we're all good," said PoH as he cracked his neck, his «Mate Chopper» more than ready to kill all those in their path.

"S-Same here," Sachi nodded in agreement, holding her spear tightly to her.

"Okay then. Let's get going," the boy moved towards the direction of which his dragons had came from, the rest of his guild following after him.

It wasn't too long before they arrive at a large space at the centre of a crossroads, with what seemed to be a large spider-like creature, except sporting a pair of scissor-like blades for its frontal limbs, and holding them up like praying mantis do.

And a group of them, no less, possessing the name «Blade Arachnid».

"Well, this is certainly going to be something to fight," noted the boy as he prepared his «Monado» and «Binary». "Yui, Tatl, Tael, slow them down for us. Agil, Nautilus, get ready to shield us."

"From what?" Asked the swordsman.

"Probably acid spit. It's just a hunch," their leader shrugged. "Bahamut, Shagaru, be prepared to engage them. Keep a safe distance and let everything out, but save up some energy for the boss fight of course."

*Rgha!*

Both dragons roared back, ready to blow the enemy apart.

"Alright…" Bringing up three fingers, he flicked each one as he counted down. "Three, two, one… Now!"

Though his outburst gave their location away, prompting the «Blade Arachnids» to suddenly spew flaming acid onto their area—dang, was Nier right—Nautilus and Agil's shields kept everything off of them.

The three A.I's casted speed debuffs onto the mobs, acting as the cue for the dragons to take off into the air.

"Let it rip!" Yelled their master.

Obliging to their master's command, the two «Familiars» charged their individual attacks, before letting it loose onto the field, watching as black energy dance wickedly with pure cold blue fire, resulting in a powerful explosion that decimated almost all of the spiders.

"Lux, if you'd please," he looked at the silverette, who nodded back.

"Of course!" She nodded, readying her rapier and running towards the last two «Blade Arachnids», easily defeating them with a single «Horizontal» aimed at the both of them, killing them there and then.

They burst into shards, leaving nothing behind.

"Good job, guys. Keep this up and we'll get there soon enough," smiled the «Blank» as he dusted his pants, pulling out his weapon. "Don't be complacent, though. Stay on your toes, watch out for your surroundings. Anything may jump out."

"Hai!" Yelled his guild in unison.

After a bit more time, the «Blank» finally arrived at the foot of the boss room, noticing that no one was there. _Again_.

Seriously though, it feels that they're usually the ones that are late. And when it all comes down to it, they're the ones that are the earliest. The only time they've been late was the battle against «Odogaron».

Wait… Were they late..?

"Hey Nier, what'cha doing?" Argo asked as she sauntered up to the boy, who was sitting on the floor, ever with the book.

"Just reading this," he said, and when she took a look at it…

"Heh? The heck is all that junk?" She wasn't even trying to hold herself back. She was genuinely confused, and he was just like her once.

"Words, apparently. Just really a bunch of doodle, to be more exact," replied the boy, his eyes still moving up and down the book, left and right across the pages. "I tell you, this hurts my brain more than figuring out the attack patterns for a boss."

"Agreed. And good job to you for still trying to figure it out…" Mumbled his whiskered friend as she furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of whatever crap he was reading. "Well, I'm sure you'll do fine. You're a genius after all."

"…Hardly one," he mumbled back, sounding unamused.

"Sure… Doing something that most people would have already given up on. Ain't that genius?" She rolled her eyes, noticing Philia and Strea arguing over who had the better weapon. "Welp, I'm going to go stop a fight from escalating any further. Call me if you need help~!"

"Yeah, I will," he finally looked up, nodded her way before returning to the tome.

For some odd reason, he _really_ didn't want to read this, but whatever he needed to know was contained in the pages of this book.

One reason for that, really. The dream.

His eyebrows furrowed. To others, it may look like he was focusing on the words. In truth, however, his mind had wandered off to some other place, only able to come back to the scene with those two strange people… and Yui.

Who was she? There was no mistaking the fact that she was just the same as the Yui he knew, but there was certainly a fair distinction between her and the Yui in his guild. Plus, what with the outfit that she wore, completed with the sword she had on her… He will say, she looked dope.

Dope, being a word he picked up from PoH and Klein, both of whom said that it was another way to call something cool.

And so, indeed, she was dope.

To be honest, he needed help. Help to elucidate the strange dream that had been at the front of his mind since the very beginning. Everything didn't make sense, those two were dangerous, Yui looked different…

'Just what is coming?' He thought in his mind, deciding to just shut the book.

The other guilds were getting closer now.

…

After everyone arrived, they started prepping up, knowing that a pretty dangerous battle was upcoming. If things go well, they'll be finishing three quarters of this game, with everything else after them going to be even more dangerous.

Yui noticed the serious looks everyone had, what with the unknown nature of the enemy that they were going to face off against. Because of this, they were all going to be extremely careful, lest they get themselves in trouble.

Taking a look at Nier, however, he was just leaning against the wall, waiting patiently for everyone else.

Wanting to ask him something, she was ready to make her way to him until Heathcliff suddenly came up to her, possessing an indifferent look of professionalism.

"Ahh. Heathcliff-sama," she gave a bow at the leader of the «Knights of Blood».

"No need for such formalities. You can just call me Heathcliff," the man shook his head, though his inner thoughts felt more sombre. 'Heathcliff, huh..?'

"How may I help you, sir?" She asked, looking at him in the eyes.

It… somewhat unnerved him, to be honest.

He had been so used to seeing a bright and bubbly girl inside of the person he was currently looking at, always happy to see him… To know that she was looking at him, treating her like everyone else did, felt so strange.

"I-It's nothing. Just wanted to know whether or not you yourself are prepared for the upcoming fight. I did hear that it should be quite dangerous to the other battles we've gone up against for the past few years," Heathcliff said, getting a nod.

"True… But I'm fine, sir. I know I can fight," she said with determination, looking to where her leader was…

Only to see him turn the book an entire one-eighty, reading it upside-down this time.

'He's… doing that on purpose, right?' Mentally sweat-dropped the commander with a grin. "It's strange, isn't it? That, even in such a bad situation as this, he's still able to remain calm. It's amazing, to be honest."

"You think so too, Heathcliff?" The girl blinked at him.

"Most people here are anxious, that much is sure. You and I, and possibly others here, can't just remain calm, for reasons particularly belonging to our own," the man said, sneaking a glance at the boy. "And yet your leader is ever as carefree, or supposedly calm as ever. It's a wonder that he doesn't buckle under the pressure really."

"Well, he always does like to say that he wants to enjoy the game for what it is, so he's never really letting it get to him all the time," she giggled, hearing a chuckle from the man.

"And someone all of us can trust," his words were lighter now, lacking any reservations or such. "I sometimes wonder where we'd all be if he wasn't there."

He started off as some simple gamer. With some extraordinary talents for just a simple twelve-year-old, that was for sure, and seemingly fighting like anyone else.

And then his exploits spread to all parts of «Aincrad», where everyone grew to respect him for his countless ventures.

Nier was… a strange individual. One who no one could truly understand. But what did it matter? All that was there to know was that he was there, and had been helping everyone to the best he could. So much so that, for a guy who seriously was far too young to be dealing with stuff like this, he could really go a far way.

Kinda' made him feel lacking, if it weren't for the fact that he was indeed Kayaba Akihiko, the very same man who put them here in the first place, after all.

"True. But Nier's just like that, you know? Intelligent, kind, sweet… but it kinda' worries us when he's going out to fight, but that's what he has to do," she sighed sadly. "He's always in danger, you know? No matter how many times we tell him not to do anything too dangerous, he never listens."

"Well, I can respect that in him. His desire to protect everyone… it's not something most would give their lives for," chuckled the man.

"Mmm… And, I have a request for you, Heathcliff," her words got his attention, seeing the pleading look in her eye. "Can you promise us to always protect Nier whenever we're not there? He's important, to all of us. So…"

"Say no more," he brought up his hand, stopping her from continuing. "You have my word, I will protect your leader, no matter what."

And the smile he got in response almost melted him there and then.

That smile… One that he had promised to protect himself, the same light that had ultimately saved him from despair…

Out of reach.

No, no… This is his second chance, his time to fix everything. He won't let it slip out of his grasp. He can still save her.

This time, it seems… Maybe there was another way.

And as those two just stared at the «Blank», he suddenly moved away from his previous spot, walking to where Strea, Nautilus and Yuna were at, discussing about their equipment.

"You guys doing alright?" He asked, a hand on a hip.

"Yeah, we're fine," nodded the purplette. "It's just that Yuna thought about using a dagger. She was just asking us if that would be fine."

"Are you sure? Daggers are fine and all, but it requires a high amount of skill with it," said the boy. "It's focused on a very speedy build, and will not help much in the case of range. Although, you _could_ use it for ranged attacks and the like, it will put you in the field of danger."

"True. Since the weapon's range isn't all that long, you'd need to get close enough to attack the foe," nodded Nautilus in agreement.

"I see… And I'm already acting as the «Medic» of the team," hummed the girl, clearly at a dilemma here, until she just dropped it with a sigh. "Okay then, I'll stick to the rapier then. Thanks, Nier."

"Yeah," he nodded back, spotting PoH getting wrecked by his subordinate with a firm kick to the nut. "Ouch… That's gonna' hurt."

"Yeah… Even if this was a game, it _does_ try to imitate all senses," gulped the male swordsman as his hands unconsciously moved to his own groin, covering it.

"Don't worry, Nau-Nau! Fi," it seems that even Strea's started using the orange-haired lass's nickname, a large and reassuring grin on her face. "Only does that if you're ever being perverted, and I doubt you're anything like PoH."

"And I truly hope that you don't become like him…" Sighed the songstress.

"O-Of course! I promise!" Hesitantly replied the male swordsman.

It was only some time later before everyone were finally suited up, ready to take on whatever would be coming at them. With a hearty speech from Heathcliff, and looks like everyone were more than ready for it.

Raise the morale raises their productivity and effort output. A good tactic.

Nier decided not to say anything until after the entire thing finished. And soon, they would be stepping foot into the boss room.

*Ting!*

"Hmm?" A message notification rung in front of him. Curious, he operated his menu and pulled out the message.

' _From:_ _«_ _Blank_ _»_ _,_

 _Your upcoming battle will be difficult. I wish you luck, and pray that you return safely from the battle._

 _To:_ _«_ _Blank_ _»_ _'_

Nier smiled at that, wondering just how on Earth this person actually knew each and every of his movements, and was going so far as to hope for his safety.

He put away the message. There was no way he was going to die.

* * *

In Another World, Untouched by Space and Time

"So, looks like he's going to fight «The Skull Reaper»," this was a new voice. One belonging to that of a young teenager's, clasping his hands together as he eyed the screen, worry stretched out in his eyes. "How strong is he?"

"Enough that he would be able to protect both himself and everyone else," promised another figure, who looked much older, smiling in assurance as he stared at the floating screen in the air, displaying the multiple guilds ready to take down the boss of the seventy-fifth floor.

"He will win," Vabel replied with with such certainty that it honestly surprised the previous two. Sure, they knew just how much she really believed in him, but they didn't think it was that strong. "He won't lose. Not like us."

"Now, now, everyone. You need not feel too down on yourselves, you know," chuckled the man as he stepped away from the throne, walking over to the dining table that they sat around. "Wouldn't you say so, old friend?"

" **Indeed. It was the circumstances that forced all of you into such,** **"** said the dragon with a nod. **"** **Neither what happened was truly your faults.** **"**

"And our failure to protect our loved ones isn't?" Retorted the girl, sounding hard on her self.

" **It was not that you did not try hard enough. It was just that** **…** **things happened,** **"** the black wyvern sighed once more. **"** **Things that were out of hand. Things that none of us would have ever guessed.** **"**

"Yeah…" The first person agreed, frowning.

"Well, guys, let's just sit back and watch the show," said the second person as he stared at the screen, with everyone else following suite. "And we'll see. Whether or not the 'Protagonist' will make it, it's all in his hands."

They failed once. Time to see how they would fare.

* * *

Pushing the doors open, Nier felt determined to just get through this already. He had the levels, the skill, and everything else necessary to get out of this. He had no doubts that he was going to get through this easy.

Well… not definitely easy. He's going to have to make sure nothing bad happens to both him and his friends, as the other people. But the ones that took most priority was his own friends, of course.

Pushing the large doors open revealed a large and extremely dark space, forcing the players to rely on their eyesight to look past the cloaks of darkness. And for Nier, he didn't waste any time to activate «Libra», walking past everyone and to the front, pulling out «Monado».

This place was far bigger than any of the boss rooms before this. Much larger than he would have thought suitable.

For some reason, he couldn't help but think this place suitable for a running track.

There was no doubting the fact that he was quite worried as to what could pop out at him from anyplace, but he decided not to worry too much. He had the strength to fight off whatever was going to come at them, and—

"Hmm?" It was for a brief moment, but there was the yellow outlining of something, quickly rushing past his vision. "Where…"

Whatever he saw was long gone by now. How? That thing was way faster than he had actually thought possible. Man, this was going to be bad.

However, he decided not to go too far, knowing that it would just end up with him being dead one way or another.

"Hey Nier?" The boy felt a tap on his shoulder, prompting him to turn his head slightly to the right and stare into the eyes of Asuna.

"Yeah?" He raised a brow.

"I think…" Slowly, she lifted a finger into the air, in a direction that had him wondering just what she was pointing to. "I think it's there."

Curious, he looked at where she was looking.

"Oh," he felt «Libra» deactivate, staring into the darkness that covered all but red eyes. "Oh."

Well then, this was going to be something.


	25. Chapter 23

"We'll do this as one!" - Speech

'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts

" _The game is done._ _"_ _-_ Flashback

*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects

* * *

'`Chapter 23: A New Beginning, From an Ending'`

 _A battle between man and monster is sure to rouse the attention of the crowd, be it young or old._

 _In the virtual world of_ _«_ _Sword Art Online_ _»_ _, these battles were the integral factor to the players making their ultimate escape from this world. To be free from the shackles that bound them to this world, they must break through the countless obstacles._

 _Nier was worshipped as the hero of the world, setting free thousands of people, returning them to the families and lives they once lived._

 _And Kayaba agreed on the notion._

* * *

Real World

"That boss is going to be difficult," hummed Shuvi in obvious worry.

Why wouldn't she? Before this, all the other bosses were quite easy. But this time, however, Nur was going to up against what could potentially be his end.

However, thinking like that made her scoff. It was unbefitting for her, she thought. Why could she not have trust in her brother?

Time and time again, the boy had proven himself in so many unexpected situations, somehow able to turn the tides and ultimately win the game. It was almost second nature to him.

It was as if he was naturally so good at these things, even though «Sword Art Online» had been his first true game that really forced him into such a risky position.

And hopefully the last one.

Shuvi, at one point, thought of trying to forcefully tear apart the codes that restricted anyone from logging into the game anymore and possibly join in the fight to help her brother out. But no progress had been made, ever since the very beginning, which was equally frustrating as it was worrying.

She had not been able to get any information on the monster until last minute, and what she was looking at certainly was enough to get any prepubescent child to cry.

The reason why the boss room was so large to begin with was because it was extremely large, looking like a centipede made out of just bone, with a skull that looked really strange and with bright red eyes. The most intimidating trait about it was the way its limbs, including its arms, legs and rib cage worked like scythes.

That meant that it would indeed have just about every chance of attacking the players. It was literally a walking weapon.

Just trying to get close enough to strike it was going to be a challenge, since it would be able to attack them when they get close enough, damn those ribs of it.

Pushing away all her thoughts, she decided to focus on the upcoming battle, knowing for sure that it was certainly going to get everyone's attention.

Today, Asuna's parents, as well as the elder Kirigaya's, had come over to watch the battle alongside her family, all possessing looks of worry. Heck, even Ms. Kyouko was clearly trying to hold herself from biting her fingernail.

Clearly, this was worrying, scary, and everything else.

"Don't worry," the Prüfer heard her sister's voice, which held steadfast assurance. "Nii will get through."

"Yeah… As far as I know, your brother's stubborn when it comes to dying," laughed their friend, Suguha, who had came with her own family.

The sole machine of the three friends nodded.

Right now, was not the time to get worried.

From the kitchen, where mewling and barking could be heard, Morgana and Koromaru were just talking to each other about stuff. Of Nur.

" **Think he** **'** **s gonna** **'** **win this thing?** **"** The cat asked.

*Arf!*

" **W-Well, that** **'** **s true** **…** **But no one** **'** **s luck is ever going to keep working all the time, you know,** **"** sighed the feline, before making his way towards the living room, where everyone else where at. **"** **Still, I suppose you** **'** **re right. He** **'** **s a** **'** **Protagonist** **'** **, so there** **'** **s no way he** **'** **s just going to lose.** **"**

*Rhaf!*

" **Hmm?** **"** His ears perked, staring into the bright red orbs of the canine. **"** **You think he** **'** **s not going to lose because that** **'** **s just how he goes? Hah, that may be right as well** **…"**

Still, it was strange that those two beings sent both him and his friend into the real world, and not into the virtual gaming world to directly help him.

Oh well. All they could do now was await the return of the 'Protagonist'.

* * *

In Another World, Untouched by Space and Time

"What do we do?" Asked the first person, his black hair swept to the side by a bit to give him a bit more view of the screen in the air. He had a noticeable frown on his face, clearly worried for the safety of the 'Protagonist' and just about everyone else. "Do we just watch?"

"Of course. We have been told not allowed to intervene, not until the proper time comes," said the man, clapping his hands once. "In any case, do any of you wish for tea? I can prepare some if you'd like."

"It's cool. You've already helped us come here from… You know what," sighed the second person, white-haired and all. He tapped his fingers against the table, sighing one more time. "You know, just letting us here is already a pretty big deal. Thanks for that, by the way."

"It's of no problem," replied the man with a smile. "And you, milady?"

"None, thank you," Vabel answered simply, focusing on the screen.

'Must be incredibly worried for the boy,' the man thought, though even he couldn't blame her. Whatever she had gone through just made her that way.

It was extremely hard for her, he understood. To watch your loved one, the very same person who had been there to help her find life—had no one really accounted for the fact that Nier had apparently crafted her a body, and somehow transferred her mentality into the body? That's something—to die in front of her.

With his death, the two had completely reincarnated her into a human girl, however they had retained her capability of «Acceleration», a strange skill that Nier had implemented into her long ago, when she was still a machina.

Right now, however, she was powerless to do anything. Fate hung equally on Nur's virtual shoulders, and it was this battle that would somehow decide their futures.

The black-haired one, as he watched the clearing guilds enter the floor of the seventy-fifth boss, he couldn't help but feel dread creep into him.

The battle, in his time, was terrible. The first recon for the boss consisted of ten player, all dying when they were unable to leave the room, seemingly turned into an 'Anti-Escape' area, of all things. Then when the clearing guilds charged the monster… fourteen never made it out alive.

That was just how difficult all of it had been. How, despite how much they all prepared for the incoming fight, to ensure that none of them would die, it could not be avoided.

The white-haired one merely remained in his place, keeping silent as he wondered on why he felt as if the two beings of this room had something planned out for all of them. As if this was some story they wanted to prolong, for absolutely no reason.

He just sighed in his mind, knowing that trying to understand them would be absolutely useless. They were an enigma on their own, and their existence was shrouded in mystery. The only thing that anyone could even know about them was that they just _existed_.

In times of normalcy, they were spectators who sat on the seats of the common audience. In times of danger, they played the hands of fate, interjecting and providing assistance. In other times, however, they could not be understood.

They were powerful… they could basically destroy the entire solar system, let alone the entire galaxy itself, if they so wished to. They had the power after all.

So why hadn't they just logged all the gamers out? That should have been nothing compared to any other out-of-the-world feats.

Before his thoughts could continue spiralling on, however, there was a cough that got his attention.

" **The battle will be starting soon. I suggest that all of you watch it, unless you** **'** **d miss the outcome of it all,** **"** chuckled the midnight dragon as his own gaze drifted to the screen.

The three people—the swordsman, human, and time traveler—watched on with heavy curiosity and anticipation, praying for the safe return of everyone.

* * *

Floor 1: Black Iron Palace

"I heard that the clearing guilds are going to take on floor seventy-five," lazily said XaXa, who had been holding an old mug of wood in his hand for quite some time. "They're not going to get through. What'cha think?"

"Seriously? Are you a damn imbecile? They've got that brat Nier on their side. And as much as I hate to admit it, I think they're going to get through just fine because of him," Johnny spat, just as mad at him.

Being put behind bars was the worst thing that could have ever happened to them, as they now no longer had any freedom. They were forced into a life of submission, boredom, and ultimately no killing.

They swear… Once they got out of here , they were going to make Nier pay.

"So… why not we pray for whatever the f**k's out there to kill him, eh?" Suggested one of the killers.

"Meh. Might as well," nodded the other. 'Anything to kill of that piece of sh—'

"Hey, hey! Who the hell sh*t here?!"

"It wasn't me! It was Ronald, I swear!"

"Oi, leave me out of this!"

Although, they _could_ wish to get better jail mates than this bunch of idiots.

* * *

Four red eyes stared the players down, glowering. The entity was extremely large, the reason why the room was sos spacious to begin with now elucidated. It looked like a centipede. Made of bones, limbs like scythes, depicting the reason to its name.

Yup. If Nier had to simplify his overly long description of the abomination that he was currently looking at, before forced to jump away as it lunged at him, then that would be it.

"Hrgh…" Unconsciously, he took a step back.

"H-Holy sh*t… Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" Screamed a player before he made a break for it towards the entrance.

*Khakahak!*

"Wait, be careful!" Screamed the monochromatic-haired «Blank», trying to move forwards… only to realise that he couldn't move. 'W-What?!'

*Shing!* *KrhaHAA!*

"GhHAHAA!"

To his utter horror, the young teenager was forced to bear witness to the sight of the previous player, one whom he specifically remembered having spoken to, conversing with a few friends of his—in fact, his sister had dived in with him, and they had been inseparable ever since—and being one of the veteran players in the game…

Getting a long scythe of ivory rammed straight through his gut, lifting him off the ground before he was forcefully slammed down, causing a powerful magnitude to shake.

The boy felt pale, blood draining as he stared at the sight with a shell-shocked expression.

From a distance, the man's sister cried for him.

"L-Live, Lord Nier…" Was all he said.

*Chh!*

 ***Nier Automata** **—** **A Beautiful Song (Play Song)***

"N-NOOO!" The sister screamed, falling to her knees and clenching her head in her hands as she was forced to watch her sibling disappear. Forever.

Nier had stood there, absolutely breathless at what he just witnessed. That… that person died, didn't he? He just _died_ in front of him, and he couldn't do anything.

'G-God...' Wait, this never happened before, right?

It was a short moment later before he he forcefully returned to reality. This… this was not the time to stand around like an idiot. The time to grief would come later, but not now.

*KhaKahak!*

Taking advantage of his stupor, the mass of bones rushed towards the boy, raising one of its scythe-like limb and readying itself to end him for good.

*Clank!*

"Hmph. Certainly a challenge," Heathcliff rushed to the boy's side, shield raised and blocking its attack before he pushed it away. "Nier, are you fine?"

It took a moment before he managed to regain his composure, nodding stiffly.

"Y-Yeah. I'm good to go," the commander noted the way that the boy's gaze drifted ever so slightly to where one of their men just died, sighing in his mind. He was far too sensitive to things like this, it seems. "C-Come on… We have to do this..!"

The boss rushed them once more, and Nier managing to parry it, he charged after its ribcage, activating a «Vertical» and striking strongly at the bones that would have encased the internal organs—but this one lacked any such—suddenly feeling his health bar getting damaged.

'Huh?' His mind suddenly stopped for a moment, wondering why he just got damaged.

*Krhkakaka!*

Forced out of his thoughts, the boy jumped back once more, avoiding a narrow slash from the creature, before it entered a 'sprint' and went after the rest of the guilds, aiming for their heads.

And sensing its killing intent, he was quick to giving out the orders—even if he didn't really want to.

"All «Sentinels» and shield bearers! Be prepared to defend! Every able person, engage the creature, but keep your distance!" Roared the young «Blank» as he too jumped into the fray, bringing his sword into a swing to attack the titanic beast. "Hrah!"

*Clank!*

The clash between players and the terrifying monster intensified as the time continued to pass, forcing each player to be extremely vigilant and on their feet, constantly worrying over themselves and others as they continued to engage «The Skull Reaper».

The monochromatic-haired player was still trying to get the situation under control, but against such a boss it was really making everything difficult.

It was… it felt like it was _reading_ them, slowly adapting to the fighting styles of the players.

'Crud… At this rate, everyone's going to get themselves killed!' That thought did not linger long enough to distract him from the incoming attacks, deftly parrying them before allowing others to switch with him and get a hit at the thing.

As the battle was dragged on, the creature seemed to be sticking to attacking them head on, charging into them as its legs sliced against the players, constantly damaging them.

It leapt at the wall, crawling up it before leaping towards the players, cutting a group of them down. With Yuna's help, however, their health bars were automatically repaired, back to full green before they decided to return the favour.

However, something that got his attention was that, every time they got close to attack it, there seemed to be an effect where the players are automatically damaged, despite not actually coming into contact with its body.

"What sort of effect is that?" Wondered the boy as he dived under a swing of the scythe, striking back at the creature's blade arm to deflect it, sending it slightly off its feet and giving him the chance to activated a «Vertical», dealing a critical hit to its skull. "Agil, Liz, down it! Pina, slow it do—"

*Khrahaa!*

Before he even had the chance to finish his sentence, however, the creature had revved itself into action once more, backing away and slamming its tail into a few of the other fighters.

"D-Damn..!" Paling, Nier ran after the monster, blade shining as he rushed in to stop the beast. "Agil, Liz, I'm making you an opening! Crash him!"

"Got it!" Shouted the blacksmith.

"And Pina, shoot it down before they make their move!" He continued.

*Kyuu!*

"Alright… Here we go!" Letting out a loud battlecry, he rushed the creature, successfully parrying it with his powered-up blade.

The little dragon took flight, sky-blue feathers shining against the light that glowed in the boss room before it released a bubble breath, striking against «The Skull Reaper», covering a wide range and slowing its movements.

"Here we go!"

"Watch this!"

The two blunt-weapon wielders of the «Blank» willed power into their individual weapons, shouting as they brought down their weapons onto the colossal beast with a powerful«Sword Skill», the two blows on its back causing it to fall to the ground.

"All players! Surround and siege!" Commanded the «Blank». "Bahamut, Shagaru, keep him down!"

*Grhaaa!*

*RhuUAAAH!*

The two dragons took flight as well, charging up a powerful breath attack in the pit in their throats, before finally releasing their individual fires down on the boss, crippling it and extending its duration of down.

The players took the order well, rushing down the creature and swinging down their weapons on the downed boss, letting loose their own battle cries as they continued to attack the creature.

Something that he noticed about this was that the players were no longer taking damage.

'What is that effect?' Thought the boy once more as he watched some players back away from the fight, healing themselves with 'Healing Crystals'. Yuna, the sole «Medic», was doing well, keeping up her singing and healing everyone, whilst Yui, Tatl and Tael kept the inflow of buffs continuing, as well as weakening the boss with debuffs.

Soon enough, tired of being on the receiving end of their vengeance, the boss stood on its many rows of skeletal legs once more, with the players beginning to distance themselves from the boss once more, trying to block its scythe-like limbs.

' _Nier_ ,' the boy perked up, hearing the voice of the man from the strange room resonate in his mind. ' _Do you remember the effects of_ _«_ _Monado: Purge_ _»_ _?_ '

'Yeah. It supposedly inflicts something called 'Aura Seal' and nullifies 'Spike' effects, whatever those two things are,' mentally answered the boy as he narrowly did a combat roll to avoid the tail from the creature. Several players were sent flying, quickly healed by the songstress and dragged away from nearby allies before they got attacked any further.

' _Well, whatever you_ _'_ _ve seen earlier is exactly that. The latter, I mean,_ ' his words got the boy's eyes to widen, connecting everything together. ' _So, I think you know what to do._ '

'Yeah, I do. Thanks,' the teenage player charged up his «Monado», before letting loose a ranged blast of energy towards the creature, which slammed into it and suddenly caused it to look weaker than usual. Heck, even slightly less intimidating, at best.

Looks like its 'Spike' effect had been effectively cancelled out, even if temporary.

The effect was certainly noticed by everyone, as they seemed to be more confident in engaging the monster in close-combat now, thanks to the boy.

"Everyone, buy Heathcliff an opening to topple it! Heathcliff, strike it as hard as you could to down it once you're ready!" Yelled the boy, with everyone immediately rounding up to draw aggro onto themselves. The «Sentinels» more so, slamming their weapons on their shields and getting the boss's attention.

"Of course," nodded the man in response, readying himself. 'Like a true leader.'

That thought brought a smile to his lips, happy that he had been the person to have found his daughter—though she remembered absolutely nothing about him, and though this was just a virtual interpretation of her, he still cared dearly for her.

He had never tried to approach her all that openly because he was afraid of what the others may think. Plus, he didn't want to scare her off.

The last thing he wanted was to see her die in this game as well, although she was just an A.I., thus probably seen as some 'Immortal Object'.

"«Monado: Purge»!" The plasma blade and the disc glowed a pretty green, before the wielder swung it in front of him, sending a blast of energy at the creature.

The creature, mad at him for doing that, rushed at him with its blades raised and ready to cut him down. Sensing it, he pivoted over the blade, effectively dodging it before needing to raise his blade, blocking a powerful swing of its tail.

"HhyhaHAHAA!" Letting out a very loud battle cry, so much so that it even made a few other players jump, Klein went into a swinging frenzy, cutting down the skeletal monster from every angle. "Go for it, guys!"

"Hrhaa!" At the maroon-haired player's command, five other players followed-up with their own attacks, poking at the boss with their weapons, dealing damage that got boosted due to the combo count clicking past ten.

Then the other players joined in, fearlessly cutting it down and slamming it with whatever weapons they had, forcing its attention solely onto them.

'Well, if they're really okay with it, I suppose it's fine,' the boy gulped, staring at Heathcliff. "Now!"

"Hmph..!" Willing energy and power into his kite shield and sword, his weapons glowed a heavenly light, radiant as the knight that weld the two weapons. Immediately, he broke into a run towards the skeletal monster, with all the players clearing a path for the knight to use. "Hrha!"

*Crash!* *Khrkaa..!*

The blow behind such an attack took form in what could be a tremor, vibrating across the room and sending the massive creature off its balance, forcing it to the ground and into a daze.

"Alright, there's your cue! Keep striking at the monster!" The boy yelled, readying his own weapon to unleash a «Monado: Buster». "Argo, how much longer?"

"We've still got three health bars to worry 'bout! Just a bit more, though, that's for sure!" The whiskered girl answered at his side, before running forwards and nicking at its health using her claw weapons, striking hard and fast.

"Yeah, got it," he nodded her way, rushing in and striking hard at «The Skull Reaper's» abdomen, causing it to rattle. A piece of its rib shattered, sent flying off to one part of the room, God knows where. "Just a bit more, people! Let's finish this!"

The thing just jumped everywhere, attaching itself to the walls as it continued to dodge their attempts at attacking it, before lunging out at them and trying to get them.

"No!" Activating «Monado: Speed» on himself, the boy quickly rushed in to deflect the boss's attack, protecting a random player in the process. "Whoa, it's strong..! Hrha!"

Forcing himself to put more force into his sword, he effectively knocked it backwards, but was unable to counterattack before it swept in its other blade, forcing him to run away.

"Dang it… It recovers fast," remarked the player, before staring at the other man. "Dude, watch yourself! If I couldn't have gotten there, y-you would've been dead."

"S-Sorry…" The player, fazed by the younger person's scolding, only nodded back.

"Whatever… We've still got this thing to watch out for," the skeletal boss jumped away from a group of axe wielders, ready to strike at them until Agil intercepted, joined by Shagaru and Bahamut, both of which were letting loose individual blasts on it. "Just a bit more, everyone!"

The monster stayed not in place, opting to rush around the entire room, crawling up the walls and onto the ceiling, dropping onto unsuspecting players with a loud—

*Crash!* *Shing!*

"Gah!" Two players were unable to parry nor defend themselves from the incoming scythe swing, decapitating them in a smooth manner that sent their avatars' heads flying into the air, the avatars dissolving into pixels immediately.

"Crap!" Klein ducked under a body sent flying towards him, sighing in relief when he hadn't been hit… only to wince when the person was immediately shattered into nothingness. "D-Damn, this is bad…"

Things hadn't gone this terribly before. What's going on?

All of a sudden, «The Skull Reaper» prepared a full twisting motion, catchings its countless prey off-guard and sending them all flying back with that one simple attack, crackling in honest pride—

*Boom!*

Before it received a powerful blow of flame, purple and light blue respectively, sent squarely in its bony jaw, sending it reeling backwards. Only when it managed to calm itself did it finally catch sight of the two dragons in the air, flapping their wings to maintain their position.

Snarling in anger, the skeletal creature had readied itself to lunge at the two of the wyverns, had not Heathcliff jumped at it at that precise moment—

"Now!"

"You got it!"

Before twenty players or so suddenly formed a square around the titan-sized boss monster, allowing absolutely no chance to escape whatsoever.

And, with a mighty roar, tens of men with war hammers, battle axes, large poleaxes and any other large weapons stormed it with their activated «Sword Skills», pooling together all the weight and power into a collective impulse, the result being a massive damage to the boss's health bar.

Sending it to its final two.

'We got it down!' All but screamed the young leader of the «Blank» in his mind, feeling more than ready to finish thi—

 ***Nier Automata** **—** **A Beautiful Song (End Song)***

*Boom!* *Crash!*

"Whoa!" It was far too fast. Too fast to actually understand, to actually think of. Instead, the entire room shook, like a tower beginning to meet its crumbling end. "What the—"

*Kah-chunk…*

The sounds of chains rattling could be heard from all around the boss room, and all of a sudden, everything went silent.

True, it would have meant nothing in normal circumstances, but given by how the skeletal centipede-like creature was suddenly down on the ground, unmoving and making low moaning-screeching noises, he knew that there was something wrong here.

Nier turned to look at every angle of the room, finding absolutely nothing out of place. And yet, the feeling remained that something terrible was just waiting to happen, and he was about to find out..

He didn't know what was going to happen. All that he _did_ know, was that this was—again—not good whatsoever.

"Umm… Nier?" Somehow, Strea had managed to arrive by his side, lightly clutching his coat, with everyone else from his guild slowly approaching him. "What's going on..?"

"I don't know," he admitted, somewhat relief that he wasn't just being paranoid, and that the others were beginning to realise that there was something going on as well. Absentmindedly, he pulled out «Binary», putting it in his right hand. "But certainly one that won't be pleasant, I can say that much."

And true to his word, no less.

Why does he have to jinx it every time?

*Bang!*

"Whoa!" Nier knew not what his first instinct was, but it was somehow meant for him to jump out of the trajectory of _something_ flying past his head at incredible speeds, the origin unknown, with one of Klein's friend almost getting his head sniped off.

"Issin!" Worriedly shouted Klein as he nearly watched his friend die from that mysterious attack. "Y-Yo! What the hell is this?!"

"Don't know. And I'll be honest, here. I think we're going to die," quietly remarked the boy as his grip over his weapons tightened. "Sorry for that negative comment, though."

"It's fine," chorused all the members of his harem, which he _still_ doesn't realise he has.

*Bang!* *Clank!*

"Hngh..!" Heathcliff barely blocked that shot with his shield, a look of disbelief on his face. 'What is going on..?! I didn't programme this into the game!'

" **Nier,** **"** the black fairy was cowering atop his head, his sister at a lost of words. **"** **I know you don** **'** **t want to hear this, but we** **'** **re going to have to finish this fight. And** _ **fast**_ **.** **"**

" **That** **'** **s obvious, isn** **'** **t?!** **"** His sister screamed back.

*Ghra…*

The «Familiars» landed beside their master, sounding extremely on edge. Every scale on their skin lightly vibrated in place, trying to ascertain the identity of the next obstacle.

"I have a question," Nautilus spoke, their leader absentmindedly nodding his head. "Since you're the most experienced out of all of us, have you ever encountered a boss that makes rattling sounds—"

*Bang!*

"HYHAA!" A group of players fell to the ground, this time the bullet visible to the eye. Not at all large, but would have absolutely killed them right off the bat if it hit them. That speed it travelled at was certainly scary.

"And has guns, when this entire game's premise is about medieval fantasy, and up to this point THAT THERE IS NO GUNS IN THE GAME?!" Lisbeth shouted finally, losing it.

"Nope," answered the boy, quickly activating a «Monado: Shield» and «Monado: Protect», allowing streaks of yellow and orange lights to wash over him and every other remaining player in the room. "And we're about to find out what."

*Kah-chunk…*

 ***Persona 5** **—** **Jalbadaoth (Play Song)***

*Bang!*

"Crud..!" Acting on pure reflexes, the boy quickly deflected the bullet that was aimed straight at his chest, the force behind the thing almost making him fall, but luckily he managed to send it off to another direction. "Dang it! What in the world are—"

Any other things he had to say was lost in his breath, expelled as a gasp of shock.

His head, alongside all of his guild members', had turned towards «The Skull Reaper», its body beginning to convulse in multiple spasms, as if it were being forced through an excruciating spell.

And without so much of a warning—

*CHINK!*

The spine of the beast was sent flying everywhere, shattered into thousands of splinters and the programmed pain more than enough to make the boss monster howl in absolute pain—

*Kscch!*

Before it disappeared into a thousand polygons.

But no fanfare ever came, for what stood in the place of their previous enemy was now some form of humanoid… _thing_ , carrying with it a pair of long-barrel revolvers. Its face covered in a blood-stained cloth sack, with just a single eye popping out and blinking, staring down at the humans in the room. Two chains travelled around its body, intersecting to make a cross, with another pair of chains travelling from the back of its waist and rattling against the ground.

It was tall, scarily so. And emitted an ominous wave of dread that seemed to make the players quake in their boots.

Above its head, rested the words «The Reaper», with four health bars showing up.

" **Hrhuhaaa** **…"** Lowly moaned the masked thing, staring at them one-eyed, shifting its gaze from one person to the next.

*Bang!*

A random player was not even given the chance to scream, let alone retaliate, before the creature had seemingly raised its gun in a smooth and quick fashion, taking his life with just one bullet. And in that quick moment, he had shattered.

Immediately, some even screaming or jumping in fright, every player raised their weapons, gritting teeth as they stared at this new monster.

Sensing their fear, it finally grinned, one that belonged to a madman as it did what could have been described to a be a mock bow.

And then, without so much of a warning, it raised its guns, firing away at every players.

"Get down!" Heathcliff ordered as he in turn readied his shield, blocking the multiple gunshots, grunting as each blow threatened to throw him off balance.

"Damn it… Where'd that come from..?!" Nier shouted, peering over the shield before retreated with a small yelp, almost getting his face busted with a bullet.

And without so much as needing to be told, Agil and Nautilus too stood in front of him and the rest of the guild, all piled up and hiding behind the safe covers of the three players' combined shields.

"Shagaru, Bahamut, Pina!" The three «Familiars» turned their heads to monochromatic-haired player. "Engage «The Skull Reaper» from a far distance and keep it off the other players! Keep its attention off of us long enough for us to strike it!"

*Rhaa!*

"Klein, Nautilus, PoH, Agil, the four of you are our heavy-hitters. I'm going to give you a signal, and you're going to strike that thing all at once! I'll take care of the bullets, so just go all-out!" The four men nodded at their leader's words. "Yui, Tatl, Tael, weaken that thing as much as you can! Yuna, heal them at all costs! Everyone else, brace for the hell to come!"

"I-I'll try my best!" The songstress clutched her lute to her chest, nodding with a shaky but determined gaze.

"Heathcliff!" The man heard his name called, turning his head to the left. "Get to the other players! Round them up, and we'll take on «The Reaper» together!"

"Understood!" Hollered back the leader of the «Knights of Blood» as he continued to raise his sword, blocking each gunshot, and to the other players.

"Right! Damn… This is getting way too out of hand," there was a worried sound coming from his lips, followed with a raise of the voice. "Alright, guys. Get ready! On one, two, three! Go!"

"HyhhHAAAA!"

" **L-Let** **'** **s do this!** **"**

"Oh dear..!"

The four men rushed forwards, wielding katana, sword, knife and battle axe and quickly crossing the distance between themselves and the powerful ranged fighter.

" **Hrruaghaa!** **"** Screeched the being as he now focused his shooting towards the group of four.

*Bang! Bang!* *Shing!*

The bullets' trajectory were true, aimed at them with deadly precision. Luckily, with help from the fairies, «The Reaper's» shots were slower, and—

*Clank!* Ching!*

"Hngh!" Nier opted to spare no time as he too made a run towards the monster, his blades making contact with the ballets and sending them away, keeping the attacks off of his friends.

"Here we go…" Sucking air, Yuna began playing her instrument, activating a skill to heal the players, watching as their health bars clash in the process of healing and taking damage.

"Alright!" Shouted Klein, willing energy into his katana and preparing a «Sword Skill». "Let's do this! All at once!"

"Yeah!"

"H-Here we go!"

"It's showtime!"

With their own shouts of determination, their individual weapons shone just as bright, streaks of colours rushing down «The Reaper» as it broke his concentration, causing one health bar to empty completely.

The force behind the group's attacks successfully shattered an arm, causing it to drop its revolver. Even so, it remained with one gun, firing away once more.

"Not happening!" Shouted their leader as he struck at each bullet, arms moving at blurs and sword striking bullets. "Argo! Think you can restrain this thing?!"

"Yeah! Just give me a second!" Hollered back the whiskered assassin as she operated her money, searching for some binding rope.

" **Hgh..!** **"** Its eye shook in its spot, but it had fired towards Nier, who parried the bullet in turn, then the next, and the next. **"** **Hyhahahaa!** **"**

And then in cackled, its previously crippled arm regrowing into a perfectly fine one. Its eye travelled around each and every one of them, and Nier could see it suddenly grow big as it landed on a person or people, before it suddenly fired everyone around it, breaking into a run towards—

"Yui!" Feeling his blood cold, Nier ran towards the boss, casting a «Monado: Speed» onto himself and allowing him to catch up with the monster. "Leave her alone!"

With a strong strike, he had managed to knock it to the side, quickly forced to block the boss's bullets.

"N-Nier!" The girl's face paled, hiding behind her leader.

"I-It's fine! I've got this!" Shouted back the black-white haired boy.

And just as things looked dire..!

*Bang!*

"Eh?"

"You… leave her alone, you filthy abomination!"

Of all things to have happened, he hadn't expected a livid Heathcliff, one who was described as usually calm and cool-headed, to suddenly unleash what felt like the wrath of an Olympus god unto the completely taken aback boss monster.

'W-Well, that's something that I'll have to ask him later on,' he gulped in his mind. "Asuna, strike him down! Argo, ensnare him, then everyone rush him with a «Sword Skill»!"

"Hai!" Shouted everyone back with equal vigour.

His instructions were taken well, with the 'Vice Commander' of the «Blank» raising her «Wind Fleuret» in front of her, a mental command causing it to become strengthened.

Then, she kicked off the ground!

"I'm good to go!" Shouted Argo, the necessary items in her hands.

The rapier-wielder's weapon shone like a trillion stars, leaving behind a beautiful streak of colours as it pierced the fleshless body of «The Reaper» once.

Aggro built on her almost instantly, but instead of firing at her only, the thing did a complete spin in midair, pulling the trigger on both revolvers multiple of times to hit the entities around it—

*Boom!* *Ghraa!*

Shagaru and Bahamut had released their built-up flames, cast upon the monster with nary a mercy, depleting its health bar greatly.

And then, without so much of a warning, the girl with whiskers had been able to rush the monster, playing zig-zag motions over and under it, giving it no time to even get a glimpse of her—thanks to her 'AGI'-build—as thick, strong rope was tied all over it.

"Good! Now come on, everyone! Activate your «Sword Skills»!" He shouted, activating a «Birth From Bytes». 'Uurgh, if only I don't have to get tired from using this all the time…'

And with one loud battlecry, the players viciously hacked down «The Reaper», aiming their weapons at every part of it that they could get. Each time the boss seemed intent on moving away, the blunt-weapon wielders would strike at the legs, forcing it to its place.

*Zzhh…* *Khh!* *Shing!*

"Hha!" Powering up his sword, Heathcliff quickly dealt a blow to the creature's abdomen from beneath, followed-up with a bash from his shield that caused it to spit.

*Shshss!*

"Up and at em'!" Shouted Nier as he activated «Monado: Buster», cleaving his sword across the boss's face, causing it to reel back with a painful screech, followed up with another attack. "Let's see how you like this. «Monado: Cyclone»!"

The plasma blade now glowed a bright white, calling upon the howls of the wind as it trapped its wielder in the eye of the storm and mercilessly continued to cut against the boss, not letting it free whatsoever.

Asuna dived in with a «Star Splash», unleashing a blitz of attacks, assisted by Yuna with a simple but coordinated «Linear».

Agil and Klein tag-teamed with their own attacks, a consecutive amount of hits that crippled it from escaping its fate.

Strea and Nautilus slashed it at the abdomen, blades producing an intersecting line to form a red 'X' over it, followed up with the other «Knights of Blood» attacking.

Philia lead the charge, backed up by Argo and Silica, all three of them assaulting the boss with fast strikes before it could even counterattack.

Rosalia and Yolko weld the bonds of which they shared, their weapons producing results that came in the form of its health bar depleting all the way to its last one.

Sachi, Lux and Lisbeth finished the attack with a spear, rapier and mace striking at exact spots, eliciting a loud howl from «The Reaper».

" **Just a bit more!** **"** Cheered Tatl with much anticipation.

"It seems that way," hummed Nier, looking at Heathcliff. "One last attack."

"Of course," the old man nodded back.

"On three."

"Two."

"One. Go for broke!"

At his cue, the two most powerful players of «Sword Art Online» broke into a run at the boss, drawing aggro onto themselves as they suddenly hacked away at the creature, letting loose a multitude of sword swings that was rapidly cutting down the boss's health bar.

And it was on its last legs. Final one!

" **H-HYHAAAGHAAGAHA!** **"**

*Khhh..!*

"We'll end this! Now!"

In that single instance, however, he felt his stamina undrained, but the adrenaline had spun his focus too much for him to even notice it.

Instead, his «Monado» and «Binary» swung down in one single instance, leaving large red gashes across its body, the two blades cutting into its body and almost halving it.

' **Well** **…** **That sucked** **…'** Its final thoughts were absolutely its final words, and even before the light could leave its single eye…

*Rhohaaa!*

*GhrRAUA!*

The two dragons of «Aincrad» revived the fires in their throats, casting a massive epiphany of flames and death unto the being, that final attack having decimated him completely, no mercy for him whatsoever.

*Boom!* *Chh!*

 ***Persona 5** **—** **Jalbadaoth (End Song)***

Every player felt the adrenaline still pumping through their avatar's veins, panting with anticipation. «The Reaper» was no longer standing where it once stood.

And soon enough…

'CONGRATULATIONS! THE BOSSES HAVE BEEN DEFEATED!'

The message suddenly displayed itself high in the air, large capital letters that seemed to have meant absolutely nothing at first…

*Thud!*

Before everyone fell to the ground altogether, panting and trying hard to catch their virtual breaths, too tired to actually celebrate their victories and not at all believing what had just happened.

For one, they had just defeated two bosses, one of which had just appeared out of seemingly nowhere, both of which were extremely difficult. This… this was the worst one yet.

And two… It was a terrible day, one for morale, one for the players and one for Nier. Even under his command, he had allowed at least six players to expire, much to his disbelief and fear.

And three…

"Finally…" Heathcliff sheathed his sword in his shield, wiping away a sweat from his brow, letting out a sigh of relief he only now realised he had been holding in.

The programming of this game must be seriously broken or something. No way would «Cardinal» insert some random monster that he had never designed before, let alone know existed in the game files, into the map to fight the player.

While he certainly was a, to put it simply, a cruel bastard for placing all these innocent—and not innocent, referring to the members of «Bloody Coffin» and its predecessor, «Laughing Coffin»—lives at stake, he was definitely fair.

All these times, he had been opting for a fair gameplay, pitting players against a challenge that they could win, and not something too bad.

In this case, however, this was… just not his work.

«The Reaper», I mean. That was not him.

Where did it come from..?

"Hey," he looked up from where he had been staring at the grey floor, into the black eyes of Nier's, who had a certainly worried look on his face. "Umm… thanks, for helping us. That battle was really dangerous, and your help was really great."

"It's fine. We're playing the same death game, aren't we? Of course we should be protecting each other's backs," chuckled the older man.

"Y-Yeah… Again, thanks…" Muttered the young one with a nervous tone.

Heathcliff, at that moment, understood just why Yui looked up to this person so much. He was just too good of a person, too kind, too much of everything else…

Constantly putting himself in danger, all for the sakes of others. He was willing to forsake his own life, all to prolong everyone else's.

Just how selfless can a person get?

"Oh yeah. Actually, I… I have something that I want to ask you," the boy, operating his inventory, placed away his swords. "A really long time ago, actually."

"Well… sure. What is it?"

"It's just… can I ask what Yui is to you?"

That sudden question actually made Heathcliff momentarily jump, a shocked look on his face that betrayed his wish to remain calm in the face of this boy. This player, who had achieved so much in this virtual life.

Many people described him to be a person who had never felt afraid at all. Never had he ever displayed fear in the eye of the public, a living definition of dauntless. However, there had been many instances when such a thing was not the case.

He felt his blood run cold once. Back when his wife, Rinko Koujiro, passed away on her sick bed. Even when her hand dropped, when her eyes lost the strength to remain open, she kept on smiling, until the very end.

The second time was when Yui Kayaba, his daughter, passed away, which shattered whatever sanity that remained of his already fragile heart, turning him into a broken man.

The third time was not what he wanted to experience. It was when Yui, the virtual interpretation of his daughter, meant to be the collection of her memories so to prolong her life, almost died because of «The Reaper».

The fourth time… was now.

Staring into the eyes of Nier, who had a serious look on his face, his words like a bullet far stronger than «The Reaper's», which pierced right through his heart.

"W-We're just acquaintances," nervously spoke the man, averting his gaze from the younger player.

"Liar," his retort actually made the man jump slightly. "Heathcliff, you never flinch. The only time I've ever seen you this nervous was the first time you met Yui, back before we fought «Mechonis»."

Damn, he actually remembered that. How long had that been?

"Heathcliff, there's definitely some sort of history you have with her. And you're going to tell me what it is, whether you like it or not," continued the boy, getting a shake of the head from the commander.

"N-Nonsense. There is absolutely _nothing_ to speak with you. Now, if you will," he made a move to go back to where his own guild was resting up, until Nier caught his arm.

"You haven't answered my question. Who is Yui to you?" When he got no answer, the boy sighed. "Fine. Then I'll be making the shots. She's your sister, daughter, wife, love interest, friend, niece, aunt—"

"Are you seriously going to list every relations there is?" Sweat-dropped the older player.

"Yes, until I get a response from you," the boy nodded, actually missing his previous look of calm seriousness. "Anyways, where was I..? Oh yeah, aunt. Then she could be your—"

"Nier, I assure you, Yui has no connections to me, no matter how much you think of it," the man managed to get his arm away, walking away. 'Finally…"

"That look on your face," his words got another reaction from the man. "I know that look, you know. It's one where you're seeing your loved ones dying in front of you."

It was very subtle, but his body seemed to have tensed slightly.

Their conversation was needlessly louder than any of them would have liked, causing attention to build on these two players, which resulted everyone to look on with unveiled interest.

"You were worried, scared even, when «The Reaper» was about to finish her off. But both you and I know that she's an A.I., which means that she's been gifted with the state of an 'Immortal Object'," said the boy, narrowing his eyes, feeling himself to have hit a bullseye. "Why is that? Other than getting hurt, she wouldn't actually die, you know."

"I-I wonder," he coughed into his fist, sounding so out of character.

"Heathcliff, I will say this again. _Who_ is Yui to you?" There was no running, this time. Everyone else were here, listening to their conversation, and just wanting to know what was the man's response.

And Nier had honestly hoped that he would get something from Heathcliff, even if it was a subtle one. But knowing him, he was probably going to remain stubborn.

Kayaba Akihiko, in the skin of the player, felt his teeth gritted, his muscles tensing, his veins popping…

And Nier had just been ready to force it out of him, but didn't want to do it, since he didn't have it in him to do such a thing.

However, of all the things to have happened…

For the commander of the «Knights of Blood» to suddenly turn around, stomp his way towards the boy and reaching for his collar, pulling him off the ground to meet his eyes, meeting the boy's suddenly afraid look with his own mad one, was not one of them.

"It's all my fault, alright?!" He yelled, having lost all his calm, sounding grieved. "It's all my fault! I failed her, I failed Rinko, I _failed_! I wanted to save her, I wanted her to keep on living, but I _failed_! This was the only chance I had, and I did everything in hopes of saving her, and—"

"Umm… I would appreciate it if you could let me go… Please?" The younger player blinked with a soft, pleading tone, taken aback by the sudden outburst from this usually-calm person.

The latter tensed, noticing the shocked gazes from everyone else in that room. Biting back a sigh, he dropped Nier onto the ground, muttering an apology.

"Umm… I'm fine with it. But you certainly aren't," adjusting the collar of his cloak, he tapped the man's shoulder in a comforting manner. "Look, whatever you're bottling up, just let it out. You should know that such a thing is just bad, right?"

"…Haha…" Suddenly, he began laughing, but it was soft and devoid of any usual joy. It sounded dead, sad even. "Even now, you've just proven how good you really are… And worrying for me, no less…"

"Umm… I think it's more of prying, but yeah, sure. Why not," the «Blank» scratched the back of his head, uncertain of what to say. "Well, I can certainly say for sure that whatever's bugging you must be pretty personal. But, you can trust us. I mean, we trust our lives in your hands, after all."

He looked at everyone, noticing the calm looks they all had. How pitiful… Should he reveal his true identity, then no doubt everyone would just hate him right there and then.

This boy… He knew nothing.

"You can't keep hiding something that's going to keep tormenting you. Tell us, what's the problem?" His concern, however, was genuine, so much so that it actually managed to draw a smile out of Heathcliff.

"…Ahh, fine," he sighed, deciding to just say it there and then. He did not care if he was going to Hell for it. Then again, he was fated for the road there since the very beginning, wasn't he? "The truth is…"

* * *

In Another World, Untouched By Space and Time

"I'll be honest. This world is way more different than what I remember," the teenage guest of the strange room admitted, scratching the back of his head. "To think… that Yui and Kayaba are related by blood, whereas there had been no ties between them in my own world."

"Oh, indeed. But I guess that's why you can't help but sympathise with the guy, huh?" The other male just laughed, crossing his arms. "But damn… At least Nier saved her."

"Was she Kayaba's daughter in your world too?" The teenager asked.

"Yup. She died because some dastards thought it was funny to go out with a gun in hand, shooting everyone to take their money," his next words were cold, vicious, all of the anger lost with just one sigh. "Well… I can only hope that she lives happy now."

"Indeed…" Vabel nodded, truly hoping that for the Yui of this world.

"Everyone," the three guests looked to where the man on the throne called them, pointing at the screen. "Listen."

The sole dragon of the room decided to just stay asleep, though peeked an eye open to watch what was about to unfold.

* * *

Seriously though, they had just survived an ordeal with the most powerful boss up until now, and were then forced to tackle another one.

Losing six people was already an immense shock, more so for Nier, since he had thought that he had been able to protect everyone.

No one blamed him, though, as they knew some things could never remain in control. And it was this knowledge that strengthened their trust in him, and the sole commander of the «Knights of Blood», who they trusted to the very end.

He had fought alongside them, bled virtual blood with them, and it was because of him that they had been able to get this far.

So for him to suddenly reveal his identity was just…

"Y-You're Kayaba..?" Asuna had believed herself to be impervious to any surprises in her life here in the game, except for the times for when Nier almost got himself killed. But now, however, she could feel her feet losing all its strength, almost falling down if it weren't for Yuna catching her, the latter possessing a look of dread on his face.

"W-What the hell..?" A member of the «Knights of Blood» actually thought his ears having failed him.

For the entire «Knights of Blood» standing here in this room, they could not believe the fact that their leader, the very same person who had been the very same person to have lead them into the battlefield, to have been there to save them from danger…

To think, that the same person they all loved and respected, was the very same person they loathed since they stepped foot into this world.

"S-Sir… T-This can't…" Nautilus had been wondering as to what the matter was, but to think that his previous leader is really Kayaba… It was hard to actually digest it, and he could feel the virtual bile pooling in the back of his throat.

"…I don't get it. What's that have to do with your relations with Yui?" The boy managed to keep up a poker face, but even his own brain was wrecked with a multitude of thoughts. The man dropped the bomb, and this really shocked his entire world.

"I suppose you don't know… I kept our marriage a secret," chuckled the man with a morose tone, leaning against the wall now, crossing his arms. "I… was a husband to a woman I had met in university. A very beautiful woman, I tell you. She had been the one to have taught me joy, and I had a daughter with her. That daughter…"

"Is m-me..?" The girl-in-question asked, voice slightly shaky and in disbelief—who could blame her for that? To think that you were merely just some A.I., only to know that you were really a human being once.

Heathcliff just nodded.

"Indeed… Your mother passed away on the very day that you were born. Years later, you received an infection, which also caused you your life," he sighed, sounding defeated. "And I… I created this game to save you. So that you could continue to live."

"But why the death game concept, though? It doesn't make sense," Nier's point got a few murmurs of curiosity, with everyone actually agreeing with him on that.

"I don't know… I suppose, in the end, it was the dreams of a madman, who wanted nothing more than to show the world that he does indeed have his rights, that he should still be acknowledged as just a person. A person who had ultimately fallen to the crevices of madness and despair, and, in a moment of desperation, ultimately lashed out at the innocent people, all because of his guilt of not having saved his family," he sighed, finally saying no more.

No doubt, it would be difficult for the people to actually believe him. To actually absorb all that knowledge easily.

The players all seemed to have looks of pity… For once, their hatred for the sole person who had placed them in this hellhole to begin with was dispelled, replaced now with a sense of sadness for the man.

Kayaba, however, scoffed at the thought. They would never understand him. Never understand his pain.

What it felt like to watch the one person he had promised to devote his love and life to die, just after the second person of whom he wanted to protect until the very end, the latter of which also lost her chance to live longer, and finally left the world.

He had mourned their deaths a long time ago. He had shed tears for them too many nights ago. He… lost everything.

"Well, I wouldn't know what sort of sad story this is, but I'm actually fond of it, I think."

"Uh..?"

"Hh..!"

Every living being present in the room at that moment felt suddenly tense, but Nier was the one that felt the chill up his spine.

Turning to the source of the voice… he could not believe his eyes.

But there was no mistaking whatever he was seeing right now.

Red hair, green eyes.

Green hair, red eyes.

Both had vicious grins.

Those were the ones he saw in his dream..!

"Who the hell are you..?" Kayaba felt his eyes narrow slightly, somewhat feeling on edge with these two newcomers. They didn't look so out of the blue—when compared to the boy and his strange guild of stranger friends—but something about them just made him feel off…

Plus, he was seriously not in the mood to deal with these two bastards. They way they described his story was trying to make it seem like some form of entertainment. The audacity..!

"Just a pair of brothers who, by all means, came here unannounced. Is that so hard to think of?" Snickered the green-haired one as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Then again, this story of yours has truly gone on for too long. I'm surprised you're still alive as is."

"Indeed. For a couple of pests, they sure do come off as a surprise," laughed the redhead, before his gaze dropped onto a scowling Nier. "Ahh… you. Why am I not surprised?"

"Hold up. Nier, you know them?" Klein was the first to speak, tilting his head in confusion.

"It's a long story. One that I won't bother you with," he shook his head, returning his sneer at the two entities before them. "One thing's for certain, though… these two are unlike anything that we've seen. Don't let your guard down whatsoever."

"Why? What's so dangerous about them?" Agil asked, feeling suspicious of those two smiling 'people' already.

"Yeah. I mean, we've got an 'ole army behind us. What's so dangerous about em' two?" Their information broker / spy asked next.

"Can't say for sure, although…" and that's all that he said before «Binary» materialised in his hand, breaking into a run as he stared down at the two, charging up a «Horizontal Square».

Such a speed would have left no room for them to block or parry, but—

*Clank!*

"Predictable," spat the green-haired one as he pushed back the teenager with his own sword, getting looks of shock from everyone else in the room.

"That sword… it can't be…" Heathcliff blinked, taking a few steps back from these two beings.

"Indeed. The «Monado», as my brother's aggressor over there wields," the red-haired one nodded, pulling out his own sword, surprising everyone even more. "Although, ours is not exactly the same one as the one he wields. Ours are… _variations_ , to put it in your simple words."

"Is he calling us simple?" Strea, not at all having taken offence to that, tilted her head in questioning.

"Don't even pay them any attention…" Sighed the boy before he stared back at the two. "So, what now? Came here to stop us from leaving «Sword Art Online», now that Kayaba's secret is out and whatever?"

"Oh, no. That would be rude, utterly embarrassing, and just plain sad," scoffed the redhead as he did a shake of the head, extending his arms as he did a shrug. "Rather, we'd just like to extend our time together. Wouldn't that be nice?"

" _Extend our time together_? The hell does that mean?" Liz wasn't certain of this feeling inside of her, but she could tell that whatever they had in mind was not going to be good.

The two brothers put away their swords, giving a curtsey as they looked down on the group of players and others.

"I am Cain," the redhead introduced himself.

"And I, Abel," the green-haired one did so next.

"And we are here, by the order of ourselves of course, to continue Kayaba's test of will," the now-named Cain said, in a tone that sounded like he was far too proud for his own good. "How far will you go to make it out of this game?"

"And how far will you go, when your very own pillar is taken away from you, and you could do _nothing_ to stop it?" Laughed Abel as he pulled out his sword, his own brother doing the same. And, in perfect unison, the two raised their blades over their heads, charging them up.

"They're about to do something… Everyone, get back!" Nier shouted, pulling out his own «Monado» in a swift motion and unleashing a «Monado: Shield» over everyone, just in case.

"Don't worry."

"The game has only just begun."

"What do you..?!"

And yet, the «Blank» was never given the chance to even finish his sentence, before the two of them shouted something—once more in synchronisation, only achieved through the brotherly bonds they shared, Nier thought—that sent everyone's blood cold.

"«Aincrad»! Spread your wings, and let there be the moment of infinity!"

" _Moment of infinity_?!"

"Cheesy as he—"

And once again, while Kayaba had been given the opportunity to truly voice out his worries, Nier was unable to shout his opinion on the matter, as the world around him suddenly shook.

*Craaaah!* *Chunk!*

"Ghahha..!" Nier gasped as his body began to flicker, like a thousand tiny lightbulbs… Wait, no, this was his body turning into pixellations, like that of a poor-resolution television. Even the room began to crack, colours mixing with nonsensical patterns that got everyone off their nerves.

"W-What's going on?!" Asuna and the others didn't seem to be affected, but were forced to watch the room turn into blurs, distorted colours, blocks and chunks of failing data; it was _glitching_!

"Let's see if the 'Protagonist' of this world can do any better! Any better than whom you have killed, Kayaba!" Cain shouted, gleefully mad for a reason unknown.

"D-Damn it..!" When Heathcliff tried to move, he was unable to do so, feeling his body so heavy as if someone had weighed him down with a million boulders, with completely no reason whatsoever.

Suddenly, he felt his hand disappear, prompting him to look at his hand… or where it should have been, now replaced with just a wrist connected to absolutely nothing.

"N-No!"

"Y-Yui! Whaa!"

" **T-Tatl! / Ngghaa!** **"**

*Rhaa!*

And others were beginning to glitch as well. Yui, Tatl, Tael, Strea, Bahamut, Shagaru… all undergoing an unknown process and forced into an unknown world in this virtual game, beyond their understanding and even Kayaba's it seems, as if he had been dethroned…

And rose two powerful and mad kings, drowned in the blood of those they had conquered, screaming murder and death as they played every card in their arsenal.

The last thing Nier could see, before everything around him blacked out, and as he forced his eyes just above the void, wanting to scream for his friends' names as they began to leave his vision…

Was the cackling figures of Cain and Abel, both of whom looked far too pleased with themselves.

"The game has only begun!"

"Let's see how far you can go."

Then everything was gone.

* * *

"W-What?!" Vabel immediately stood up, chair she had been sitting on falling to the ground, not believing what she was seeing. "W-Who are..?!"

"My sons…" The one with white hair whispered, slowly getting onto his two feet. "W-Wait a minute… What are they doing here? I thought I k-killed them."

" **Indeed you have. And yet, as we had managed to bring you here, they must have found a way to bring themselves here, as impossible and cheap it sounds,** **"** the dragon explained, frowning.

"T-That's impossible! I died with them that day!" He shouted in disbelief, staring at the screen.

"W-What's going to happen to them?" The teenager with black hair asked, feeling somewhat taken aback by how things just progressed.

"Milord will be fighting, obviously," he nodded. "And of course, extra help will always be nice."

"Extra help?"

"That's true… Wait a minute."

"What do you mean by tha—"

And then, the ground below them just 'disappeared', replaced now with a large rectangular gap that revealed pure blackness, akin to the comedy skits in those well-scripted plays shown in certain dramas and / or videos.

And that was all they could actually think and appreciate, the fact that they were still standing above it, just blinking as they remained still in place, still looking down—as if there had been a floor below their feet—before gravity finally worked their magic.

"Whaaat?!"

"Oh, hell no!"

"Damn it..!"

The human and two A.I.'s disappeared down the hole, the last thing heard being the silverette's screaming about how he was going to kick the crap out of the two beings of this room the next time he sees them—

*Snap…*

With a snap of the fingers, the gap closed up. Ominously so. As if there had been nothing there to begin with.

" **Don** **'** **t you think that was a bit too much?** **"** Chuckled the black dragon as he watched the spectacle, not at all wanting to do anything.

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure they'll figure something out," chuckled the human as he made his way to some bookshelf that he concocted out of thin air. "Besides, they are 'Protagonists' of their previous worlds. I'm certain they'll overcome this problem."

" **True** **…** **Though I can only imagine how angry Kazuto will be with us when he** **—** _ **she**_ **steps foot in there,** **"** the beast shuddered for a moment, knowing for sure that, if she would be entirely serious, she would threaten him with castration.

And he would rather avoid such a dreadful thing, thank you very much.

"Let's just hope that they will finish the game. And help them when the time becomes necessary," nodded the human as he sat back in his throne, looking off into the distance.

Finally, the game has ended. And in its place, a new one began.

Time to begin. The bet for humanity versus the corruption of machine. Who shall make it out?

Then again, the answer laid in Nier's hands. He'll know what to do when he gets there…

* * *

 **A/N: And thus, the curtain calls!**

 **First one on the block, thank you for sticking through this ridiculous, non-sensical story with your one and only! Really, your support is what keeps me going, and it always reminds me that, if I can at least help you guys after a really bad day with really cringy love and not-so-epic battles, then I** **'** **m more than happy to help.**

 **Next up, you** **'** **ve just seen what happened in this piece of work** **—** **the fanfiction, and not** **«** **Sword Art Online** **»** **, I mean. To finally see Kayaba let go of his past, truly makes you wonder just what else will come, huh? And looks like trouble from the alternate past is catching up to this story** **'** **s present. How will things progress? We** **'** **ll just have to see.**

 **And finally, this puts a solid fullstop to the** **«** **Sword Art Online** **»** **arc. Next up, the future of virtual reality. Get ready for the** **«** **Infinity & Hollow** **»** **arc!**

 **And don** **'** **t worry, people. Though the girls never got to show their love to the boy yet, they** **'** **ll get their chance soon. But first** **…** **trouble strikes, and in the form of two very old foes. And looks like we** **'** **re getting to see two old faces once more. What will be** **«** **Blank** **'** **s** **»** **next move, huh?**

 **Well everyone, leave a comment if you** **'** **d like! What did you think up so far? Critics appreciated all round, and be waiting for more updates** **! And possibly new stories, if I'm feeling like it...**

 **Nah! I'm always good to write a new story or two!**

 **Anyways, goodbye for now!**


	26. Intermission

| Intermission: Behind The Scenes, Meeting The Crew |

* * *

Most prominently, people know of the many heroes that have fought to maintain order in their own separate worlds, something of which had been the absolute reason for everything. The true reason for just about everything. The reason why these exact worlds had existed. Why the stories had been written, and why they developed.

However, must it be true that every event takes place without an outside power to control it? That, without the eyes of a supernatural being to maintain the order of it all, it can progress smoothly?

The answer to that is no.

This is why the audience must understand that the author, he who brings these characters to life, is the one who bears the most important task of all; the author is tasked with ensuring the flow of the story goes through in a clean yet understandable manner. This, coupled with the entertainment and exhilaration, makes for a good story.

That, is why the authors are born and exist. In these worlds, _they_ exist.

The man with grey hair stepped foot into the strange, lonely house. The dark streets had no lights, none whatsoever. So really, no one could truly see the careful designs of cobble at the side, which anyone could have easily tripped over.

To the right of the street, there had been a small little park with so many trees, the hedges at the side dead. The slide and see-saws present there were far from usable, given the marred condition they were in, but they never really cared too much about it. Children constantly busied to this place to play, and even long before they could fix the toys, they would be broken even more.

At this point, the maintenance team had already given up on doing anything.

And yet, down the aforementioned street, there was also the lonely house. Empty of any furniture, empty of any residences, empty of… just about anything.

The man came here because he had been invited here to begin with. The rest of his team would be there as well, though he needed to leave his little room because there was no way they could be there.

Rather, they would be having the first meeting between each parties since they've begun operation, something of which was much appreciated by the man right now; he wanted to get to know his comrades better, something of which he very much appreciated.

He didn't like not knowing the names of people around him. He had made it his duty to keep track of the names of those he had watched fight, and those that he would be working alongside with.

Then again, he supposed it would be his own turn to reveal his name, right?

Thankfully, he had received an order from the author to reveal his name to the people, something of which genuinely surprised but delighted both him and his friend. He was certain that the audience were already too frustrated with trying to make sense of their identities, only to know that such a thing would be revealed so easily now.

The door creaked, somewhat irritating to his ears. Of course, he had long believed that he was diagnosed with the case of "Scribe's Fever", but there was no certainty to just about anything. And that was what he loved about life; it held so much uncertainty, so much surprises and randomness that made life worth living in.

And though he was a being that held so much power, capable of making just about anything possible, he sometimes wished to experience the life of a common man. To just be enthralled by the simplicities that many which often discard for being boring.

Now that was unacceptable. Life was entertaining, even without trying to do so.

Into the house, it was empty, per description a few lines ago (read paragraph 5, line 1 & 2). It made it seem that it had been abandoned, but he thinks this is not the case. It was simply the fact that no one had ever lived here before.

There was a flight of staircase somewhere to the left, old and almost broken down. But he dared to climb it, dared himself to go up it and meet the rest of his team. That was the sole purpose this entire chapter existed, after all.

A quick look out of the window allowed him to see the syzygy of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury; a rare yet delectable occurrence that made him appreciate all of this once more. How non-fiction was far stranger than fiction sometimes.

Reaching the second floor, he didn't bother to pay attention to the other doors. Only the one at the end of this hallway, which looked much better than every other doors here; it was brand new, squeaky clean in most normally-used terms, and of course, there was no way he could forget the mass of gems pooling at the side of the doorway.

'Fancy,' he smiled, twisting the knob of the door and stepping into the room beyond the door. And in this room— "Good evening, everyone! How has been your day?"

His question was neither a simple gesture of pleasantries nor was it forced out to feel comfortable and trust him. But instead, it was truly a curious question that left his lips just as he saw his friends.

Although, he would be lying if he called them his _friends_. No, they had never spoken yet. Only after a certain amount of time would he be comfortable with calling them his comrades. The only one he could call his friend was the black dragon sitting on one chair.

Ah, yes. He decided to shrink himself, just to be here. This had ever been the first time for him to shrink himself, both in front of the audience or in anything, really. And quite honestly, he looked adorable.

Small, little horns that protruded from the side of his skull. Sharp teeth, claws. His tail was scaly, as his entire body was. Black eyes, slits. Little wings.

The one with black hair, young-looking but definitely ageless as well, with a deeper voice spoke up.

"Just fine, I suppose. I've had to deal with trying to find this place for quite some time, really, but I guess I got lucky," shrugged the man. "Also, where have you been? We've been waiting for you for, what? Two hours?"

"Aah, but time does not apply to us, am I right? It could have very well been sixty years since I came, but in all honesty, it would have been only four seconds," he offered, eliciting a thoughtful look from the man.

"Oh… Oh yah, oh? That does make sense."

"Don't bother listening to him, !%!&$&. He's a jokester all on his own."

The second person to speak had exactly the same voice, had exactly the same build, had exactly the same face. They were a twins; a delightful surprise for the man! But it was then that he came to notice the silver hair he had, the only thing that differentiated the two.

His tone was bored, however, almost cold. It made him think of the two brothers.

One was the joyful, excited one. He could be older, could be younger, or they could be the same age, but he was very fun. That was a certainty.

The other one was like most stereotypical geniuses. Not to say in a rude fashion, but he just had that aura about him. Intelligent, calculating, and most notably; distant.

He may be wrong about those two, but that was what he believed. But that did not mean that they were not good people. And he would find himself happy to be able to work together with them in the coming years, decades.

But time did not apply to them, huh?

"It was… fine," the sole woman (more like girl, given her apparent height of 149 cm, or 4'11") in the room spoke, wearing a mystical gown and face covered in a light silken veil. Her voice was reminiscent of an angel's, and it quite literally made him wonder if that was her true identity. He caught a glimpse of her snow-white hair, a true testament to how pure she was. "I was… looking after the children at the park."

" **Indeed she was! She was very kind, the lady is!"** Added the dragon, getting a blush of embarrassment from the woman.

"I-It was nothing…" She may have very well been speaking, but it sounded like a whisper. An innocent soul, he senses in her. Quite rare, or common, depending on which world you visited, of course. "A-And you..?"

"Well, I suppose I had been running late, so I apologize for wasting all of your time," chuckled the being as he too took a chair, noticing the scent of… mint? It was pleasant. "So, let's get on with our introductions, shall we?"

And really, the only thing that would have prevented them from doing so would be their hatred for one another. But this was not the case.

Looking amongst one another, the dragon deemed it necessary that he introduces himself, until the kind lady began, her gentle voice breaking the silence.

"I-I… My name is Oracle. A pleasure to… meet you…" She said, and though the young girl was anything _but_ young, it was more than enough to make everyone else smile. Even the genius one, as deemed by the man, felt a small grin tugging at his lips.

"I see. And what universe are you tasked with maintaining?" He asked, pulling out a list from nowhere. It was good to keep a list, he realizes after many a time of not doing so.

"I… watch over the 'Reincarnation' worlds," she answered, getting looks of surprise from everyone else. "There should be one in the future."

" **That's interesting,"** hummed the dragon before he looked to the two twins. **"And what of the both of you?"**

"Hmm? Oh yeah, I forgot. The name's Zero Taka. Pleasure to meet you," the one with black hair raised his hand, smiling. A friendly fellow, he was. He turned to his brother, gently shaking his elbow. "Come on, you're up next."

"I know that…" He sighed. He must be tired, having to deal with his brother's antics for a lifetime. "I'm Nil. Nil Kata."

"How curious. Both your names refer to none," the man noted, getting a nod from the silverette.

"That's just how life goes. And I prefer this name than anything else, thank you very much," he brushed the comment quite easily, though not rudely, mind you. He was behaving in a fashion that was telling them that he trusted them, that he wanted them to trust him, but he didn't want to get too friendly with them. "In any case, what about the both of you?"

The dragon and man shared a look.

It has come to my attention that their existence, their very identities had been kept in a shroud for a long time now. The simple question of their names constantly evades the people, though those who ask them never get a definite answer.

It was due to the rule by the author, the person who has willed them to life, having commanded them to not say a word. They were behoved to listen to him, though they had a will.

And if they had a will, they were allowed to defy his order, were they not? And yet, they never dared to do so. They respected him, and they would follow his every order no matter what.

He looked to his friend once more, having broken his gaze from him just to look at the other people in the room; Oracle was a patient little nun (Nun, as in a pure little girl, he means), Zero was curious, and Nil said nothing. He could sense no impatience coming from the silent one. More like he didn't want to push them or anything.

The black dragon gave a toothy grin, prepared for this.

They looked back to their comrades.

"My name is Drake."

" **Snake here. A pleasure to have met your acquaintances."**

The other three people in the room wondered just what sort of names those were, wondering if that was truly their names or they had just concocted it on the spot, but they decided not to pry too much on it. Ultimately, those were their names.

"So tell us, what sort of people are you? Your species, I mean," he asks, looking to each other. "Snake here is a dragon _god_ , if you will. I am not a human, but I am capable of many things."

"Yeah, like creating this entire room or warping here just like that," nodded Zero as he whistled, honestly surprised. "Well, for all of you to know, Nil and I, we're… 'Shifters'."

" ' **Shifters'?"** Repeated Snake in curiosity, getting a nod. **"Why 'Shifters', though?"**

In response to his question, Nil raised an arm… only for it to disintegrate into millions, if not _billions_ of tiny little chips, reforming themselves into a claw.

The other people looked on, surprised.

Nil then willed his back to produce two wings, which came out looking like a mecha's. They even produced a beeping sound, before he pulled them back into his body, the wings turning into those little chips as they combined with the body once more.

"…A 'Shifter', you call yourself," hummed the man, getting a nod from the brothers. "I wonder if I should come up with a name for myself."

"I think that's unnecessary. I mean, you look exactly like a guy. You're able to change the fabric of the world, but not yourselves," said Zero, getting a wide-eyed look from Snake. "Ehh, that was just my intuition, though. So if I'm wrong, do forgive me."

" **Oh, no, it's none of that. It's just that you were right,"** he nodded. **"And you, Oracle?"**

"…Oh! Umm, forgive me! I had been… thinking…" She said, the other people looking at her with soft gazes. It was hard to get mad at her, it seems, as she was always so easily flustered. So easily scared. "I… was human."

" _Was_?" Nil raised an eyebrow, not understanding what she meant. "So what are you now?"

"I… I don't know," she shook her head, tugging on the hem of her dress. "I remember some things, but I don't remember them anymore… I'm sorry."

"Well, it's fine. You're part of us anyways, so there's no changing that," shrugged Zero with his goofy smile. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys. Nil and I, we manage the 'Heroes' universe."

" **Fire Emblem Heroes?"** Snake piped up, looking excited. Zero just laughed.

"Ahh, no, not really. It's just a term for the selected group of people that, ehh… We choose for some sorts of adventures," he explained, getting a tilt of the head in response. "I know it doesn't make sense, but you'll get it in due time. When the world comes, I think you'll be able to understand."

" **Hmm… Well, if you say so,"** he nodded. **"In any case, for a lack of a better term, Drake and I manage the 'OC' universe. I assume you know what the term means, right?"**

"Original Characters?" Offered Oracle, getting a nod in response. "I see… How many are there?"

"Well, as far as I know, there are quite a few. Mind you, I can only offer you their names, if you don't mind," they all nodded to the man's words. "Well, I can remember some. There was Young-ae, a sprightly fellow. Maybe a bit strange, but normal otherwise. Nur Fate, a young gamer. Riven Hirokami, son of Satan."

"Son of Satan?! Ddaeng, that sounds cool!" Gasped Zero, barely able to hold back from making that comment. His brother, used to him doing this sort of thing, just rolled his eyes.

"I also remembered a… Lux von Halcyon, prince turned student. And a… well, I suppose it wouldn't be wrong to tell you," he chuckled. "There had been a lot of people, I remember, but two had disappeared. One was killed, the other, our author was forced to put his life to an end."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"Remember Nur? He is the successor to one of the people that disappeared," Drake explained. "The other one, well… He had outlived his use, I suppose."

" **It was a pity. But the author seeks to rewrite the world, though there is no true certainty as to when that will happen,"** Snake added, noticing a look coming from Drake. **"Yes?"**

"Did he truly mean that? He's already busy managing so many worlds currently, I'm worried it may be too much for him," frowned the man, which only got a scoff from Nil.

"Please. If anything, he severely enjoys doing this sort of thing. His head is always buzzing with ideas, I'm not surprised if he suddenly created a new…" The 'Shifter' paused in his words, blinking before sighing. "I think he just did."

"Wrote a new story, did he? Hah! I wouldn't expect anything less of him," snickered the other 'Shifter' before he brought up an understandable question. "But how about the stories outside of the realms we watch over?"

"He… told me that none of us had to be there... to watch over them," Oracle said, hands clasped together. "They will be left on their own, though it is still part of our duties to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

"True. Though, knowing him, we wouldn't even need to do anything to begin with," snorted the silver-haired 'Shifter'. "Well, I suppose that's all that needs to be addressed, right? We've been talking for God knows how long already."

"I thought… time doesn't apply to us?" Her question got Nil to look at her. And though it was one that made him say 'Oh yeah…', she couldn't help but yelp, looking back down. "S-Sorry..!"

" **Nil, you just made a girl cry. Bad sport,"** teased Snake, getting a gawking expression from said 'Shifter'.

'Haha… This is some team, I will admit,' thought Drake with a smile, watching as a flustered Nil try to apologize to the nervous Oracle, whereas Snake and Zero just continued to throw teasing remarks at the silverette. "Come now, everyone. Let us return to our own homes."

His words managed to stop them, earning understanding nods from them.

What few people there was in the room had quickly come to recognize one another by sight and their exchange of words between one another as a team tasked with maintaining the order and flow of the worlds of stories. Although, Drake did not believe that his acquaintances among his number would remain with just the polite nods they exchanged as they left the decorated room.

He truly hoped to forge a strong bond with each and every person he had met in there.

Zero and Nil, the 'Shifter' brothers; one the fun and bright one, and the other a calm and collected one—polar opposites, they were. And also, Oracle, the sweet and gentle girl they had no doubts would surely come to amaze them all in ways never thought possible.

Drake, the strange being capable of changing everything. Snake, the dragon at his side, his steadfast friend who was never willing to remain complacent.

Before they had left, however, they had settled with a name for themselves. And that was a pure entertainment all on its own.

" **Team Changers? How… childish,"** nervously chuckled the dragon. **"No offense, of course."**

"Hmm… Yeah, we're adults here. We should use something more appropriate, I agree," hummed Zero as he rubbed his chin.

"Squad of Gods," Nil piped in, sounding blasé.

"We're not gods," laughed Drake, the joke quiet appreciated. "Anyone else?"

" **Well, if no one has any ideas,"** he then looked to Oracle, every other male there following suit and causing the only girl to yelp in surprise. **"What of you, milady? You seem to have an idea."**

"W-Well, I'm not certain if it's entirely acceptable… I'll admit, it's a bit childish as well," she gulped, flushing.

"Oh, please! It's not like it'll be bad as mine," snickered Zero as he gestured to himself with a thumb.

"And certainly better than League of Myths," the moment Drake said that, everyone turned to him, raising an eyebrow. He just shrugged. "It's fun to dream, right? Well, Oracle? What say you?"

"W-Well…" It was hard not to laugh at the suggestion he made, or the ones the others had made before her. "H-How about… Council of Five?"

The name came to her quite easily, a sense of idea coming merely from a thought of reading a book she had once read many a lifetime ago. It was simple, it was poetic, and the name for a certain group she had seen mentioned in there was more than respectable.

But looking back at it now, she wondered if the thoughtful looks everyone had on their faces when she told them that was them trying to find a fault with the name or actually considering it.

She didn't say anything, however, merely resorting to remain silent in case they wanted to say anything.

And quite honestly, it didn't take too long before Nil spoke up first.

"Council of Five… Simple, short, yet sweet," he whistled, grinning. "I like it."

" **I agree with the young one. I think I very much enjoy that sort of name,"** nodded Snake, not missing the sweat-drop coming from the 'Shifter'. **"Then let us be known as that from this day on! The Council of Five!"**

"Council of Five!"

"Council of Five, yeah! / Right."

"C-Council of Five..!"

Soon after, they left on good terms, and they were certain that working with one another was going to be a great experience for each of them. What Drake and Snake could hope for, however, was that things would go smoothly for the upcoming time.

Then again, if they had just managed to become good friends, then just about anything is possible, right?

* * *

In Another World, Untouched By Space and Time

" **I quite enjoyed speaking to Oracle, she was a young pleasant dear, don't you think?"** Hummed Snake in delight as he returned to his original size, looking at his friend, who was sitting on his throne once more.

"Agreed. So shy, so quiet. She's a lovely lass," chuckled Drake in agreement, stretching himself slightly. "I must… admit..!" A satisfying 'pop' from his shoulder. "It is strange that we have names now, don't you agree?"

" **Well, times change. And I suppose, at this point, just about anything goes,"** he shrugged back. **"I like this more… Having a name, working alongside others, it feels so strange."**

"It's true, you know? Working in a team is always better than being alone," the man nodded, smiling a moment later. "Then again, we had never been alone to begin with, right?"

" **That, you are right,"** chuckled the black dragon, his interest caught by the screen in the air. **"Hmm?"**

The both of them turned their attention to the screen in the air, seeing a familiar young monochromatic-haired gamer encounter three familiar fighters, only to be pulled into a strong hug. Behind the boy was a group of other fighters, with a man clad in red and white armour amongst them.

"Our young 'Protagonist' surely has come a long way, huh?" Chuckled Drake. "And I can only hope that he can handle the incoming challenges."

" **I'm sure he can,"** Snake nodded, never felt more sure than ever. **"I wonder how the others are… Oracle handles the 'Reincarnations', whereas Zero and Nil handle the 'Heroes', right?"**

"Right," Drake nodded back. "Well, let's just kick back for now and see how our 'Protagonist' fares. You never know what happens when you relax."

It was a strange fact, but one that was true all the same.

* * *

In A Quiet Little Place

Oracle paced forth and back in her room, a hand on her chin as a worried expression marred her expression; it didn't stop her from looking so adorable to begin with, however.

She always knew that there were some things that she couldn't do. That she was powerless to change or stop. But she believed that, with her power, she could be able to do some things.

She wasn't a human now, anymore. She had powers, she could change things! But… the responsibility that came with it scared her to no end.

'No… No! The others are doing their job just the same, and they're not complaining! I shouldn't be too!' She decided, a newfound resolution burning in her heart. 'Alright. First, I just need to ensure that I actually do what I must do, and—'

Before she could do anything else, she found herself staring at a book on the table, glowing with an otherworldly power.

This was a way for her to monitor the progress of the worlds she was tasked with watching over, just like how Drake and Snake watched over their own through the screens. She didn't know what Zero and Nil used, but she would know next time, she supposed.

Picking up the tome and walking to a suitable chair, she sat down and peeled the pages open, seeing a black-haired boy, presumably fifteen, suddenly die as he remained lying down on a bed, a strange device encased around his head.

She frowned.

The worlds she was tasked with maintaining revolved around 'Reincarnation', which meant the original protagonists from a world… die. It was then that she had to bring in another person from another world, which was more specifically the normal version of the author, to deal with things.

She took in some air, trying to think through this properly. If she was going to do this… she had to do this right.

Right now, a person had just died. And it was her responsibility as the caretaker of that world to ensure that the story was born.

* * *

Atop The Spiracle, Where Clouds Intersect

"You know, are you sure we should be staying here of all places?" Asked Nil as he looked down the edge of the tower, harsh, cold wind slamming into his face. He merely squinted his eyes by a bit. "We're going to be operating here from now on, you know."

"Yeah, I know," nodding, Zero merely pulled out a phone, a simple little gadget you should know what is. Tapping an app on it, it caused the screen to black out, before a buffering sign showed up. "Listen, we have absolutely no problem with this place."

"What makes you say that?" He asked back.

"Because we're 'Shifters', duh! We can just regulate our body temperatures so the cold doesn't really matter," snorted the older twin, getting a shrug of agreement. "So we're tasked with, what? Watching over the 'Heroes'?"

"Basically creating a new story composed of characters from a vast range of worlds. For example…" Humming, he looked down, the clouds making the ground impossible to see. Even enhancing his vision, all he could see was blurry white. "That."

Looking down on the screen of his phone, wondering if Nil truly was trying to point at it, he realized that he was staring at a living room with so many residents in there, comprised out of an anthropomorphic black cat, another cat wearing a yellow jacket with a sword and two girls with cat features—one a little girl with white hair and the other with a buxom figure and black hair.

"Those aren't the only ones, you know," scoffed the silverette as he walked over to his brother, creating a chair from just his back and sitting on it, the chips disintegrating to merge with the chair and become more solid. "It's going to get busy."

"Hah! I can agree with you on that!" Snickering, Zero closed his phone before talking again. "Come on, we've got much to do! Let's get things started!"

Sighing, a certain Nil Kata would be forced to deal with the antics of his brother, Zero Taka, who proved to be a handful. One that, despite all the troubles he brings, he was not willing to part with.

Out of the corner of his eyes, if Zero focused enough, he would have seen his brother smile.

Life got better for all of them, after all.

* * *

Somewhere Else

"Hachoo!"

"Ender, are you alright?"

Sniffing, looking to his door, Ender realizes that it had been Layla who came up to check on him, smiling sweetly.

He blinks for a moment, thinking of how much of a fool he was making himself look like, before he decides to get off his chair, scratching the back of his head.

"Umm… I'm fine, yeah. Just felt the willies," he offered, chuckling. "Sorry if I worried you. How are the others?"

"They're doing fine. Terry's busy practicing his arrow shooting, Chris is buying the groceries with Lyn, Luna's asleep, and Lucy's on a phone call with a friend," answered the blond girl, smiling all the way. "And you, mister! You should get some rest. Always busy on your stories."

"Haha… What can I say? It's become a hobby at this point," he laughs back, stifling a yawn. "So hey, where's mom and dad?"

"Your mom's having tea with her friends, and your dad's trying to fix the sink. Chris accidentally broke it again," she giggles in response, having expected the groan to come.

"Seriously? God damn it… I understand that he's not the most careful person out there, but does he have to break it _again_? Troubling my dad almost everyday," he sighs, following the girl out of his room. "If it isn't the showerhead, it's a plate. And if isn't a plate, it's the damn PS4 controller!"

"Oh, hush now. You know he's not doing any of that on purpose. He's just… very clumsy," it may not have sounded enough, but he knew that was the simplest description there is.

"I swear, if he breaks one more item in this house, I'm grounding him for a week," the teenager scoffed, going down the stairs.

*Twak!*

"Crap!"

"Sorry!"

An arrow had somehow found its way to the wall just close to him, almost close to striking him, had he not swerved his hip to the right.

"S-Sh*t…" Gulping, the British-Indian teenager ran up the stairs, pulling the arrow out. He looked to Ender, a terrified look. "Don't tell Luna."

"Y-Yeah, it's fine," he nodded back, smiling. "Had fun with archery?"

"Meh, it's going quiet fine, yeah. I mean, I like to think that I've improved a bunch now," he nodded back, spinning on his heel with an arrow hitched on the bowstring, pulling it back and letting the arrow fly towards a random fruit on the dining table, straight in the centre. "Nailed it."

"Yeah, I can see that," gulped the ravenette, the blonde beside him nodding in agreement.

If there was one thing that they could agree on, it was that Terry was one hell of an archer. Having been raised in the wild fields of Africa, that was just how things were.

"Oh hey, I just realized, isn't _Mystery Diners_ on right now?" Terry suddenly brought up, his friends blinking at his words before the boy gasped.

"Crud, you're right! I've never watched it before, I need to watch it now!" Nodding vehemently, he rushed into the room, making sure not to trip over a sleeping Luna. "Sorry…"

He knew that she would never be mad with him, for some strange reason, but that was no reason for him to step on her, let alone step on anyone.

Layla and Terry shared a look, laughing together. If there was one thing they knew about their friend over there, well… if he wasn't in one spot, he was too busy being somewhere else.

In his room, however, from the large iMac computer on the table, a certain light seemed to form out of the screen, before it faded out. It was now a certain fact that, out of everything else, things have changed. Both for this family, both for everything, and for the Council of Five.

There was a lot to expect, it seems.

* * *

 **Author: Ehem, a short intermission.**

Drake: Why did you decide to post this in 'Hacking Game of Bytes'?

 **Author: Good question. I guess I just... wanted to?**

Oracle: That's... logical.

Zero: Yup! If you felt like doing something, then just do it! Right, brother?

 _Nil ignores his brother, instead spending his time on reading a book he had picked up._

Zero: Pfft, spoilsport.

Drake: Leave him be. It's already a busy day, who knows how things will be after this.

 **Snake:** **Well, we'll just have to do what we've always done; progress the story.**

 **Author: Hey, I'm the one who's writing all the chapters, you know! At least appreciate me a bit more.**

Drake: Oh, of course! Thank you for all your hard work, dear author!"

Oracle: I-Indeed! You've done so much for us.

Zero: Can't disagree with that. Writing at least eight thousand words for each chapter... Ddaeng!

 _Beside Zero, Nil raises a thumbs-up, indicating that he does indeed agree with his brother's words._

 **Author: Hehe, thank you, thank you! Well, that's all there is to say, I guess. Lots of changes, lots of things to expect, and more good stuff (hopefully). And I'm going to go see what anime's are there to watch! Well, here's hoping for a good future and doing our best, guys!**

C **o** un **c** il **o** f Fiv **e** : R **i** ght!


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